Colder Weather
by NeoMaelstrom
Summary: His greatest moment of triumph was his greatest moment of defeat. He averted catastrophe...but paid a price with consequences no could foresee. What happens when the hero who saved the world turns out to be the one needing saved? Kataang.
1. Aftermath

**Author's Note: It's been a long time since I've written. Years, as a matter of fact. I can't say why. I suppose I just lost interest, but that's not the case anymore. I've found new inspiration in a cartoon, of all things, that airs on Nickelodeon. I never saw it coming, but then again, I never expected Avatar to be such a great series. It had very well thought out characters that developed as the story line progressed, along with some of the best couple romances I've ever come across. Avatar was something special...and it's reawakened my desire to write. So here it is! My first Avatar fanfiction. I hope you all enjoy!**

Chapter 1 - Aftermath

The wind whirled viciously, tearing across the landscape in destructive gales as Aang soared through the brilliant, erubescent sky. The young boy's battle with Ozai had been epic. He and the Fire Lord waged a historic conflict within the confines of a desolate, lifeless canyon on the outskirts of the Earth Kingdom. Although Aang's advantage in terms of bending expertise was evident from the first blow, his hesitance to actually take his adversary's life had been severly crippling. Ozai, however, was a fiend that never knew such reservations. Every strike had been thrown with bad intentions, and soon...Aang was overwhelmed. On the receiving end of the empowered Fire Lords' might, Aang's defenses were broken.

By pure chance or fate, however, the odds that increasingly stacked against him suddenly turned in his favor. The Avatar state had been triggered by an accidental blow to the scar on his back, unlocking the seventh chakra that Azula's cunning had left sealed and inaccessible. The strength of the Avatar State empowered him, but as the sensation flooded through his veins, Aang found that another accompanied it.

_"We will take it from here, Aang."_

Roku's voice echoed within the sanctity of Aang's mind. Before the monk had the opportunity to respond, he felt what could only be described as a powerful "tug" on his spirit. All connection to his physical body was severed, rendering him incapable of controlling it even though he could still see out of his own eyes. He knew immediately that the Avatars before him were responsible. They were taking him over.

As the battle progressed from that point, the scales were soon tilted considerably in the Avatar's favor. The power wielded by the said state was truly a sight to behold. All four of the elements were bended effortlessly by the will of the spirits and laid atop each other, forming a protective cocoon of swirling energy around Aang's body.

The self-proclaimed "Pheonix King" was soon forced on the defensive. Even with the might endowed upon him by Sozin's Comet, he was incapable of resisting the transcendental powers of his adversary. The Avatar State was overwhelming - the extent of its' power was something Ozai could never have foreseen. Helpless, he ran for his life. Evading the onslaught of attacks was all he could do to stay alive. He narrowly evaded every blast of fire, wind, water or earth by a hair's breath.

Ozai knew he could not maintain the pace for much longer. He was becoming increasingly weaker. His body was pushed well beyond its limits, and every minute Aang's attacks got closer and his reactions got slower; It was only a matter of time...

Suddenly, the former Fire Lord felt a strong, wet grip ensnare his left ankle. He yelled out in surprise as he was yanked to a halt, his frantic eyes falling upon the whip of water that was coiled around his leg. The Avatar immediately willed the elemental appendage to ascend, pulling his helpless nemesis into an upward spiral that disoriented his senses.

Ozai was hurled downwards effortlessly. He came crashing towards the earth, slamming viciously against the surface of a protruding pillar of rock. He cried out in agony as pain lanced up his spine.

The Avatars that possessed Aang's body dispelled the elemental attack once the damage was done. They knew the man was no longer a threat to them...or the world.

Now...it was time to guarantee he would never have the opportunity to become one again.

The earth was bended around Ozai's wrists and ankles, fastening him securely against the surface of the rock and rendering him immobile. Aang hovered ominously over his now defenseless opponent.

"Fire Lord Ozai", came the distorted voices of all the previous Avatar's, speaking in perfect unity through Aang's lips, "You and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world. For that, you will pay the ultimate price!"

_No! Please! We don't have to kill him_, yelled Aang as he battled internally for control over his own body. He struggled and thrashed against the will of his former lives, but he was overpowered. He was no match for the combined strength of all the Avatar's before him. They all were adamantly set on one outcome only.

"_Please understand, Aang,_" Roku spoke. "_The Fire Lord is too dangerous to be left alive. Even IF you were able to energy bend Ozai, he is symbolic of a way of life that many will continue to perceive as righteous. He would only rise as a threat again_."

_Please! It doesn't have to be like this!_

"_This should never have been your burden to bare, Aang. You are too young - too inexperienced - to grasp the importance of this. We will not plague you with this...necessary...deed any longer._" Roku's voice became increasingly more solemn and regretful. "_We Avatars will do what we must for the good of the world. Just know, Aang...that for all of this...we are sorry._"

The Avatar lifted his right arm, calling upon the elements and concentrating them into a violent, swirling mass at his fingertips. He then condensed the said mass, focusing it into a smaller beam of natural energy that rocketed upwards. It hurled into the sky, towering over the surrounding rock formations, where it tarried for only a moment...before it came crashing down.

_Don't do it_, Aang cried out.

Ozai stared at the descending beam in terror. He fought and tugged against his restraints, desperately attempting to escape, but he couldn't break free. In the end, Ozai he could only shut his eyes - helpless to do naught but embrace his quickly approaching demise.

_Stop_, Aang bellowed once more.

The air was peirced by the fallen Fire Lord's scream...and then...the Pheonix King was no more. The war was over.

The Avatar...had won.

"Aang!"

Katara awoke in bed with a start. She panted heavily as she placed a hand comfortingly against her chest, trying to still her racing heart. There was no stopping the horrible feeling in her gut. What startled her wasn't a nightmare. She was forced awake by what she could only describe as a sensation, a terrible foreboding that something had gone terribly wrong and it involved Aang.

The water bender bit her bottom lip, forcing the horrible images that popped into her head away. She couldn't think like that, no matter what. She wouldn't accept Aang losing. Such thoughts didn't change the fact, however, that the possibility remained.

Katara cast her gaze around the room. She was in one of the chambers in the castle of the Fire Nation Capital. Approximately a day had passed since it was re-captured. The painstakingly arduous confrontation with Azula was nothing but a memory, albeit a fresh one, in the back of her mind. The dethroned Fire Lord was now contained in the securest part of the dungeon, where she would remain for what Katara expected to be a long time. Zuko would soon take her place as the rightful heir.

Katara had to admit...it was one hell of a ride.

She shrugged off the smothering blankets, sitting upright as she swung her feet over the edge of the mattress. She placed them on the cool floor and stood up, stepping towards a mirror that was placed in one of the corners of the large chamber. The water bender situated herself on the stool in front of it.

As Katara stared at her reflection, she immediately thought again of Aang. The wrench in her heart had remained consistent with every time she would think of him, resurrecting the fears that she struggled to deny.

_Aang won_, she thought, trying to reassure herself. _I know he did! There is no way that he would lose. He's the Avatar!_

Still...even the Avatar wasn't immortal.

An abrupt knock emanated from the other side of her chamber door, snapping her out of thought.

"Katara," arose Zuko's muffled voice. "Are you awake?"

"Come in," Katara responded.

The too-be-crowned Fire Lord entered with her consent, stepping into the expansive room and gently shutting the door behind him. Garnished in royal black and red colors, he truly assumed the image of the prince that he was; it was something Katara couldn't help but note as he approached her with a warm smile.

It was just another reminder of how things had changed.

"Are you sure you're feeling well enough to be up and about?" Katara inquired teasingly, returning the smile.

"Ha ha." Zuko's tone dripped with sarcastic humor as he rolled his eyes. "It's not all that deep," he asserted. "You act like I got struck by a lightning bolt or something."

"Maybe it's because you did!"

After indulging in a moment of laughter with Katara, Zuko's demeanor suddenly fell solemn as his lips set in a firm line. "Anyway," he started, "I came here for a reason."

Immediately, her laughter stopped. Her expression hardened, but her eyes shimmered with evident concern. She was trying to brace herself, but her soul felt like it would shatter with just one wrong word from the man.

"We've received news..."

"Tell me Aang didn't..." Katara suddenly interrupted, her voice weak with desperation as she made an attempt to stand up.

Zuko, however, forced her back down gently.

"Easy, easy. Relax," he said, trying to calm her as he squeezed her shoulders reassuringly. He could plainly perceive the harm that both her worry and exhaustion had wrought on her features. He knew she was close to her breaking point. "Aang won," Zuko stated. "The war is over. He did it."

It felt like a ten ton weight had been lifted off of Katara's heart. She sighed heavily with relief. She was so elated to her that she couldn't stop her eyes from watering with tears.

"Thank the spirits..."

_He's alive! He won_, She thought to herself as she closed her eyes. _I was worried over nothing._

If that was the case, however...why did something still feel off?

"Sokka and the others commandeered one of the Fire Nation airships during the fray," Zuko began to explain," and are on route as we speak. We can estimate their arrival to be a little over an hour at the most. I just wanted to personally inform you. So get ready and ask one of the guards to escort you the landing grounds. We'll be there to welcome everyone back as soon as they touch down."

He turned and made a move towards the door, but was halted in his tracks by Katara.

"Wait," she started, causing Zuko to turn back to her. "Was...there anything else about-"

"Aang?"

She couldn't help but blush. Was she that readable?

"...Y-yes, but the others too," the water bender stammered, averting her gaze in embarrassment.

"There's not much I can tell you," he began. "The message wasn't very detailed. All it said about him was that he had won. Nothing else. As for your brother and friends, they're fine as well. Sokka was the one who sent the message."

"That's great," Katara exclaimed, elated to hear that her brother was fine well. She had been so terrified that they all may not make it back alive, yet somehow...they had. Somehow, they had rose up against the insurmountable odds...and prevailed. That didn't mean, however, that no one had been injured. "Everyone's okay," she stated, more so to herself than anyone. "That's all that matters. I just...can't help but worry about Aang."

Zuko regarded her with a sympathetic expression. "You really care for him."

"Yeah," she confessed. "I do."

"Well, like I said. I'm sure he's okay. They would have reported it if Aang was seriously injured," Zuko declared. "Trust me. He's just fine."

Katara nodded, appreciating his emotional support. "Okay. Thank you, Zuko."

He returned her nod as he went to leave. "I'll see you at the landing grounds."

"Till then," she responded as he exited the room, leaving her alone to her thoughts.

Aang...Katara thought as she lowered her head, clutching her mother's necklace. Why do I feel like something just isn't right?

The hours came and went by so slowly to Katara that it was nothing short of torture. She had immediately dressed and sought out with her escort towards the landing grounds, which involved a long walk down a long path that led to an open field on the outskirts of the Fire Nation Capital. Zuko, along with Mai and a handful of guards were already there waiting.

So when Katara's ears heard the steadily increasing hum of an engine break the silence, her eyes immediately shot to the sky just in time to see an airship descend from the clouds. Her heart nearly shot out of her throat. Finally, the waiting was over.

The massive airship lowered itself to the ground a couple of hundred feet away from where they stood. Katara didn't waste time getting to it, as she practically sprinted the whole way there. A ramp lowered from the back of the aircraft. Shortly after, Sokka, Suki and Toph emerged to greet her.

Only Sokka, Suki and Toph...

Her heart wrenched as she didn't see Aang.

He's probably just inside the ship, she told herself. It's to be expected that he'd be worn out. He DID just battle Ozai.

The water bender threw herself at her brother when she was close enough, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tightly. A lone tear fell from her right eye as she smiled against his shoulder.

"Hey! Hey! Easy," Sokka moaned as he was almost knocked on his rear. "Do you not see the broken, bandaged up leg?" he inquired as he gestured to his right leg with an annoyed expression. "I'm crippled here!"

"Oh! Sorry," Katara exclaimed as she pulled away from him. She smiled softly. "It's good to see you didn't get yourself killed, idiot," Katara said jokingly."I was really worried about you, Sokka."

"Hey! There is no way any evil Fire Nation douchebags are going to take ME down," the Water Tribe warrior stated.

"You looked like you were having a little bit of trouble with those douchebags yesterday," Toph laughed. "How many close calls did you have again?"

Sokka jumped to defend himself. "Who was it that saved who from falling again?"

"Yeah, you did keep me from falling," Toph conceded, " but it was Suki who saved us both. Without her, neither of us would be standing here right now."

Suki blushed lightly. "Umm...I didn't do all that much," she said modestly.

"Don't be humble, girl," the blind earth bender asserted. "You deserve all the credit."

As Katara stood there, she felt so relieved to know that everyone survived, but what ailed her was the fact that...not everyone was present. When it got to the point that she couldn't contain it any longer, she had to ask.

"So...where's Aang?"

Instantly, the expressions on all three of their faces darkened, their lips setting in a firm line.

Her heart immediately dropped. The feeling that had been present inside her roared to life, wrenching her chest with pain. Katara desperately clutched at Sokka's tunic, her eyes pleading with him as she spoke in a shaky voice, "Sokka, what happened to Aang?"

Sokka scratched the back of his head. "Well...look...Aang's alive. He's inside the ship."

"And?" she pressed.

"He's..." her brother seemed to struggle with his words. "He didn't react...well...after the battle."

Katara swallowed, frowning as she grew impatient with his vagueness. "Sokka!" she snapped.

"Twinkletoes...killed the Fire Lord," Toph interjected suddenly.

Realization dawned on Katara. Aang had killed a man. He had struggled for so long with the decision, and had taken every measure he could to prevent it, but she suspected it all along that it was inevitable. Still, he was too young to take a life.

He must be struggling with it, she thought.

"I'm going to see him," Katara declared firmly as she tried to move past her brother, only to be stopped as he stuck his arm out in front of her.

"Wait, Katara," Sokka exclaimed.

"Let me go, Sokka," the water bender said in a threatening voice. "I'm going to see Aang."

"Listen...he's not doing well. You don't know the full story."

"I don't care!" she asserted, forcefully pushing her brother's arm up over head and walking briskly up the ramp.

Sokka made a motion to pursue her, but was quickly halted in his tracks by a sting in his leg. "Ah! Wait! Katara," he called, but she didn't respond. She vanished inside the airship a few seconds later.

"Just let her go, Sokka," Suki said as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"She needs to see for herself. If anyone can help Twinkletoes, it's her," Toph declared as she crossed her arms.

"I know," Sokka admitted, his expression downcast. "Still...she wasn't there like we were. She didn't see how Aang reacted. How will she respond once she sees the kind of shape he's in?"

"Well, Zuko's coming, so let's just leave Katara to it," Suki suggested as she spotted the man approaching them with his escorts. "She's the best qualified to handle Aang."

"Yeah," Sokka agreed. "I just know this is going to hurt her..."

It took only a quick question and a quick answer from one of the workers for Katara to wind up outside of the room Aang resided in. She stood motionless before the door for several seconds, apprehensive over what she would see when she walked in. Sokka's words haunted her.

"Listen...he's not doing well. You don't know the whole story!"

What had he meant by that?

What could possibly be so wrong?

She swallowed her fears, approaching the door and placing her hand on the knob. She paused only for a moment, before she opened it and stepped inside.

Darkness encompassed the room when she quietly shut the door behind her. A tiny candle shivered dimly by an empty mattress. There were evident signs of someone having slept there, going by the way the covers were tossed around, but Katara didn't see any other trace of Aang...and it worried her even further.

"Aang..?" she called out uncertainly. Am I in the wrong room?

Suddenly, she caught movement in the darkness. She immediately turned to see a small figure sitting in the darkest corner of the room. Katara retrieved the candle and approached slowly.

"Aang?" The water bender called again as the light illuminated the boy's features.

Katara lowered herself to her knees beside him, having not seen him even motion to answer her. She laid a hand gently on his shoulder. "Aang, look at me."

The young Avatar had his head buried in his knees, so she couldn't see his expression. The girl couldn't see any prominent injuries on the boy's arms or legs, which made her feel relieved. She shook him softly.

Finally, he stirred. The boy moaned, lifting his head slowly as his eyes moved around the room dazedly.

She immediately sat the candle to the side, embracing the young Avatar. "Aang! I'm so glad you're alright!" She kissed his head affectionately, holding him like that for several seconds before pulling away just enough to look at him again.

It was only then she noticed how distant his eyes were.

"Aang?" Katara inquired, worry lacing her tone.

Aang portrayed nothing but a cold numbness that was painful for her to see. "Huh...?" he responded in a low, monotone voice that frightened her.

"Aang! Aang! Look at me," she cupped his face, trying to get him to focus on her. ""Look at me!" She tapped his cheeks lightly, scared and shaken by his change in demeanor. He seemed so...detached. "Snap out of it. Come back to me, Aang!"

The lifelessness in the young Avatar's eyes didn't so much as waver. The light that always shimmered in them was no where to be seen, almost like it had been...snuffed out.

Katara started to panic. She bit back a sob as concern overwhelmed her. "Aang!" she practically shrieked.

It was like she just couldn't get through to him. That was what scared her most of all. Even when he was in the Avatar State, she had always found a way to reach him. This time, however, that wasn't the case.

What was worse, she knew the reason he was in such a condition.

"Aang," Katara whimpered. "Please...it's not your fault. You did what you to do to defeat the Fire Lord."

Aang suddenly went rigid. She noticed the change in his posture, and as she watched some level of consciousness manifest in his eyes, she thought maybe he was coming out of it.

"Aan-"

Katara paused when she saw the boy begin to visibly shake. When the tears began to swell in his eyes, the pain behind them and his expression was heartbreaking. She sobbed softly, hating what he was having to go through.

She tried to soothe him as she whispered, "You did the right thing."

Katara didn't even have time to register what happened before she was shoved back. She was so taken off-guard that she immediately fell backwards, bumping her head against the floor. A sharp pain shot through her skull, but she ignored it and stood up.

Aang had never physically put his hands on her like that.

"You don't know anything!" the boy roared through his tears, startling and frightening the water bender. Just as quickly as the rage had come, it was gone, as some level of realization set in about what he had done. Sadness was soon the only thing visible in his expression. His hands clutched the side of his head as he again buried his face in his knees. His shaking worsened.

Katara didn't let his outburst get to her. He was just emotional. She approached him again, this time cautiously laying a hand on his forearm to gauge his reaction.

He made no attempt to force her away this time.

"I'm so sorry," she heard him whimper quietly. "I'm so sorry..."

"Ssh, ssh," Katara said soothingly. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean to."

Aang began to sob audibly, each cry cutting into her heart. She never wanted to see him like this, so broken. His entire way of life had been shattered by his duty to the world.

"I couldn't stop them, Katara," Aang whispered. "I couldn't...I just couldn't."

"Stop who?"

"The Avatars," he answered, his voice cracking. "I had the power to stop Ozai without killing him, but they wouldn't accept it." His voice strengthened angrily. "They used me like a puppet! They made me kill someone against my will! I HATE THEM!"

A gust of strong wind exploded from the boy's body, almost knocking Katara on her rear again. She recomposed herself quickly.

"Aang...I know you're upset, but...you can't dwell on it. You saved the world," she reminded him. "You saved all of us. Without you, we never would have won this war."

"I'll never forgive them..." He acted like he didn't hear her. "Never..."

"Aang..."

"Just leave me alone, Katara. Please..."

Tears swelled in the water bender's eyes as she looked down, wanting to protest, but unable to bring herself to do so. She didn't want to leave him alone, but for once...it didn't look like she'd be able to do much at the moment. This wasn't something a heart-to-heart conversation could rectify, as much as she hated to admit. She felt useless. Aang had done so much for her and for the world, yet in his truest moment of need, she could do nothing for him.

"Okay, Aang. I'll be back later," Katara said softly as she leaned forward, planting one last kiss on his head before standing up and turning towards the door. She cast a final, sad lasting look in his direction, before opening the door and shutting it behind her.

Out in the hall, she lingered with her back against the smooth surface of the wooden door. She inclined her head against it, her thoughts clouded with concern for Aang.

_I'm so sorry..._

_I HATE THEM!_

His words played repeatedly in her in head like a broken record. The water bender sighed, lowering her eyes sadly.

Just as she made the motion to walk away, she heard him scream.

It was a long, anguished wail that tore Katara's heart into pieces. She bit her bottom lip, unable to stop the tears that began to cascade down her cheeks as a sob rocked her shoulders. Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore. She sprinted away, trying to escape the terrible sound. She hated it.

It was something that would haunt her forever...


	2. Reflection

**Author's Note: Hey, it's a lightning fast update. What do you know? I'm posting this so soon because I've got an exam to study for, and that's going to occupy my time for the rest of this week. I just wanted to get chapter two up and out there as quick as I could, and I've successfully done so. I'm aware that the chapter isn't quite as long as the first, but it should suffice for now. I estimate that I'll have chapter three up by Monday, maybe sooner...but it's doubtful. Anyway, hopefully I'll have a review by Monday, too! Lol. That would be pleasant.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 2: Reflection

"Katara!" Sokka called to his sister as he spotted her emerge from the airship. She descended down the long, steel ramp. As she approached the group slowly, Sokka could tell by her sluggish posture and pensive visage that nothing good had transpired throughout the brief time she was in there. He frowned, feeling a deep-rooted sympathy for his younger sibling.

"Did she see Aang?" Zuko inquired as he stepped up next to Sokka. Mai was at his side, silent with her usual indifference painting her expression as she observed the approaching girl.

"Yeah," Sokka answered glumly, "...she did."

"She was obviously more successful than we were. I mean, I definitely didn't feel any apocalyptic weather this go around," Toph commented with a slight scoff. "Maybe I should just go and punch some sense into him. I bet a good beating would knock Twinkletoes out of it." She slammed her fists together for emphasis.

"Or it'll just knock him out," Sokka suggested with a doubtful look. "And when he wakes up, odds are...we'll be right back at square one. Only we'll have a moody Avatar with a headache to deal with."

"In hindsight, maybe it's not such a good idea." Toph backed down with a nervous laugh, throwing her hands up in the air in defeat. "I don't want to get caught in a rumble with the Avatar State."

Katara stepped off the metal walkway. Immediately, everyone, except Toph, could see the moistness upon the girls cheeks. Her tears shimmered in the light of the sun.

"Katara," Sokka began as he limped towards her, "are you okay?"

"I'm just fine," she grumbled. "I'm not the one we have to worry about."

He proceeded with caution. "So...what happened?"

"Nothing," Katara answered quickly. "Just...nothing...okay?" She didn't want to recount the experience.

Fortunately, Sokka knew when not to pry. He nodded, letting the subject drop right then and there. He didn't want to torture his distraught sister. The swordsman felt she had suffered enough.

"Listen, Sokka," the water bender started again as she addressed her brother, "I want you to tell me...what happened yesterday." She looked pleadingly into his eyes.

Sokka swallowed, visibly sweating the subject as he cast a nervous look over his shoulder, regarding Suki with a "What do I do?" expression. Her eyes were soft as she nodded, encouraging him soundlessly to do as his sister requested. The water tribe warrior slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"Fine," he conceded. "I'll tell you, but you can't mention anything to Aang. We...don't think he remembers."

Katara merely nodded as she watched her sibling expectantly, waiting for him to continue. The girl felt her throat tighten as the anticipation mounted in her neck. Her curiosity with the matter was equaled by the magnitude of her fear, leaving her feeling particularly conflicted. She wasn't sure if she really wanted to know.

Sokka cleared his throat, avoiding his siste'rs gaze as he spoke, "Well, Aang had just defeated the Fire Lord when we arrived..."

_"Aang! Aang!"_

_Sokka called down from the airship that hovered above the boy below. Suki and Toph stood at his side, both focused on their young friend. The wind produced by the churning propellers of the aircraft tore at the young Avatar's attire, but he seemed to pay it no mind. He didn't acknowledge their attempts to reach him._

_"Tell the pilot to bring us lower," Sokka ordered one of the earth benders who had helped commandeer the craft. He immediately hurried off to relay the command._

_The airship began to descend shortly after._

_As the craft lowered, Sokka noticed the crimson liquid that was splashed across the area surrounding Aang. Where he could only assume the Fire Lord had once been...nothing remained. His existence left naught but a puddle that would forever stain the surface of the rock he died upon. The final attack had obliterated Ozai's corporeal form entirely_

_Aang had killed him._

_"So he couldn't find a way to save the Fire Lord after all," Suki stated sadly. "He tried so hard..."_

_"He did the right thing," Sokka asserted as the airship lowered and steadied itself as best as It could alongside the rock formation. He turned to his girlfriend. "Let's go check on him."_

_Suki nodded her head. "Yeah. Come on, Toph!" She grabbed the blind bandit's wrist._

_"Whoa," Toph exclaimed, stumbling forward in surprise as she was pulled along as they made their way towards the deck. All three of them disembarked the mechanical craft, approaching their still motionless companion with concern lacing each of their expressions._

_"Aang...?" Sokka called as he limped towards his friend. His stomach churned slightly at the grotesque scene before him. The fact that Aang could just kneel in the center of it like that, completely unresponsive, worried him deeply._

_"It's okay, Twinkletoes," Toph said in a soft voice. She could smell his tears mixed in with blood in the air. She could only surmise that judging by their potency, there had to have been a large amount of both._

_Aang didn't make an effort to respond. The trio wondered if the young Avatar heard them, or had even so much as acknowledged their presence. Sokka stepped closer, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder._

_"GO AWAY!"_

_The harshness in Aang's voice considerably startled the group. They had never heard him speak in such a hateful and angry way. The incident with Appa and the sand tribe was nothing in contrast._

_Sokka kept his hand placed firmly on his companion's shoulder. "No, Aang. You need to come with us."_

_"Yeah, Twinkletoes. Katara's waiting for-"_

_"I ...SAID...GO!" The thunderous roar that erupted from the boy's throat was followed by a series of violent gales that pulsated from his body. Sokka was caught in the force of the wind and dragged effortlessly off his feet. He hurled into Suki's arms as she managed to catch him, just barely saving him from being blown off the ledge. The airship behind them began to rock violently._

_The trio hunkered down to brace themselves against the vicious storm that Aang was creating. The boy rose to his feet sluggishly, his right hand clutching his face. The earth began to tear away at his feet._

_He stumbled to catch his footing as black clouds began to gather in the sky. The light of Sozin's Comet was obscured by their thickness, its radiance reflected through the accumulating water particles in the atmosphere, adorning the clouds with a crimson tint._

_"None of this is right," the distraught Avatar muttered, his voice just barely audible to the others above storm._

_"Aang! Stop," Sokka roared into the wind. "Calm down!"_

_The powerful tempest intensified even further. The pressure of the gales that battered them were becoming more and more difficult to withstand. Toph, Sukki and Soka were sliding backwards, inch by inch, towards the edge of the pillar._

_Toph quickly bended the rocks around all of their hands, securing them safely to the formation of earth upon which they stood. She shut her eyes against the intensity of the wind, gritting her teeth as she concentrated on keeping them fastened to the ground. The storm proceeded to tear at their faces and clothing for several seconds, and the blind bandit felt her mental grip begin to slip._

_The earthen binds loosened around their hands bit by bit as Aang's power began to affect her concentration. Just when Toph felt like she was at her limit, everything stopped._

_The fearsome wind ceased to assault their faces and senses as the clouds overheard dissipated, revealing the luminance of Sozin's Comet once again. The group opened their eyes slowly. Sukki and Sokka witnessed the young Avatar teeter forward, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as his legs gave out beneath him._

_Aang collapsed to the ground unconscious._

_Toph dispelled the earth around their limbs as they arose to their feet. "He passed out, didn't he?" she inquired for verification, having felt the vibration of him hitting the ground._

_"Yeah," Sokka said as he breathed a sigh of relief. "That was a close one. Good save, Toph."_

_"I know. I rule," the blind bandit responded with a wide grin and a thumbs up._

_Sukki looked uncertainly at Aang. "We need to get him on the ship and get him cleaned up."_

_"Yeah. This whole place reeks of blood, him included, so we definitely can't bring him back to Katara like this," Toph pointed out as she pinched her noise for emphasis, waving her hand through the air in an effort to dispel the stench._

_Sokka nodded, frowning. "Yeah. Earth bend him to the ship, Toph. And let's get out of here."_

_"Do you think Twinkletoes will be okay when he wakes up?" the blind girl inquired._

_"I...don't know," was the only response the teenage boy could give. He wanted to believe he would, that the young Avatar simply needed to get it out of his system, but there was something off about the whole situation that unsettled him. Aang's mind seemed easily unstable enough and emotional enough to trigger the Avatar State, and the power he displayed was significant enough to suggest that he HAD activated it._

_The problem was: there was no trace of it._

_Aang's tattoos never once adopted the trademark glow that had always signified his Avatar State...and that bothered him most of all._

Katara listened to her brother's story attentively. She absorbed every detail about how the situation had transpired, having every intention of learning all that she could so that she could better help Aang. Having had a one-on-one discussion with him, she'd managed to obtain a few details that the others weren't privy to.

She was steadily collecting the pieces to the puzzle. From there, it was just a matter of putting everything together. Then she could find the answer.

"Aang mentioned something about him being forced to kill the Fire Lord," Katara stated as she recalled the memory. "He said that the former Avatars made him do it against his will."

"That explains why he is so torn up about it," Toph stated. "He's pissed because the big wigs forced him to make a choice he didn't want to make to begin with."

"Yeah, but...Aang...angry at the Avatars?" Katara said uncertainly with a frown. She winced at the idea. "That can't be a good thing given that he IS the Avatar."

"Yeah," Sokka exclaimed. "How can he be pissed with his own past lives? He knew that he may have to make a choice like this."

Zuko stepped forward, his lips set in a firm line. "I think I understand. Toph was right on target. Aang knew he'd have to choose, but in the end, he didn't even have that luxury. If it's true that he was manipulated by the other Avatars and forced to take my father's life, then it's understandable why it wouldn't sit well with him. Nobody likes being treated like a puppet. He just needs time to think things out."

Katara's expression saddened. "He said he hated them. And...the way he said it...honestly made me believe him." She looked off to the side before adding in a whisper, "I've never seen Aang in so much pain."

"Did he say anything else?" Sokka asked, addressing his sister.

Katara blinked as she thought. She didn't want to tell them everything. What had happened and been said between her and Aang needed to remain, mostly, between her and Aang. She felt she should keep it as private as she possibly could.

"No," she shook her head. "He would barely talk to me. He just kept repeating that he wouldn't forgive them, and then he told me to leave. So...I left."

Aang's screaming echoed in her mind. Katara did her best to ignore the stabbing pain in her chest as she thought about it, but the agony in his voice was horrible and it killed her to know he was suffering so much.

"Well, I'll send word that we need to delay the ceremony," Zuko said as he turned back to Mai and his escort. "My coronation can wait. Right now, we'll give the Avatar as much time as he needs to piece himself back together."

"What do we do with Aang, anyway? Just leave him in the airship?" asked Sokka, addressing the too-be-crowned Fire Lord.

"Yeah. Let's allow him some privacy," Zuko suggested. "If Katara can't make any headway, obviously there is no headway to be made. We'll let him cool himself off. I'll request to have some guards positioned outside so they can keep a watch on him and escort him to the castle once he's ready. As for the rest of you, follow me and we'll have a meal and some rooms prepared."

The group proceeded to follow Zuko's lead, appealed by the promise of a feast and a good nights rest. All except Katara, who lingered hesitantly behind. Something told her that she needed to stay close, in case Aang lost control the way Sokka described. Even if she could only get through to him so far, it wouldn't discourage her.

The water bender was determined to help him.

_Especially after the way I...acted towards him..._She thought as she was reminded, then and there, of the encounter on Ember Island.

It had transpired during the intermission of a performance by the Ember Island Players, in which clueless - yet oddly well informed - actors parioded their own personal escapades. The play only served to be a stimulant for a rather awkward discussion between Aang and Katara that ended on an equally awkward note. She had been struggling with her emotions for quite sometime, and while she had since sortened things out, it didn't change what Katara had done.

Katara had left Aang alone on that balcony. Disoriented by her frustration and turmoil, she had pushed Aang away and threw his emotions back in his face. She had hurt them night. Katara knew she had...and she couldn't forgive herself for it. That night, she had made a mistake, and she wanted nothing more than to rectify.

_I'll explain everything to him tonight_, she told herself. _I'll set things right and show him how much I care about him. Maybe that will help pull him out of this._

"Hey, Katara!"

She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of her brother's voice as he called back to her. The water bender's eyes shot up, seeing him waving her towards the group.

"Come on!"

Katara looked back to the airship, her expression determined.

_I'll be back, Aang._

With that, she turned and jogged away from the aircraft and towards the others.


	3. Complicated

**Author's Note: Well, it turns out I received a couple of reviews much sooner than I anticipated. So...I figured I'd update sooner than anticipated. I went back and some changes to the story, which consisted of rectifying an error that was pointed out by Private LL Church. Which I appreciate, by the way! My Avatar knowledge isn't complete in some regards. Well, I guess there is not much to else say otherz than I dedicate this to my first few reviewers. Right on! ( I'm going to dedicate this "tobacco-filled", hand-rolled "cigarette" to you guys as well. ~wink wink~ Ha ha! Burn on, people! Burn on!**

**Seriously, though...no updates till the start of next week. I gots to prepare mah myself for da test. Feel me?**

Chapter 3 - Complicated

The remainder of the day swept past quicker than Katara could have hoped to expect.

A large feast was held in the honor of the group's achievements, which

Sokka seemed to appreciate most of all. He gorged himself shamelessly before retiring to his chambers, clutching his stomach as he moaned something incoherent regarding death and over-eating.

Suki, Toph, Zuko, Mai and Katara lingered at the massive table for a while longer. They discussed the memories of the final battle with the Fire Nation, recalling the events that remained fresh within each of their minds. Though the good was conveyed with the bad, no one seemed to allow the recollection of their individual ordeals to corrode their demeanor. Everyone maintained a positive attitude, or at least...maintained the illusion of one.

That was what Katara found herself doing, at least, as she darted her eyes back and forth from person to person as they spoke. She did her best to act interested. She responded when addressed, though the responses were slow and clueless, despite her best efforts. The young water bender was hardly even in the room with them, her thoughts of Aang pulling her head into dark, stormy clouds.

Her friends weren't as blind, however, as she'd have liked to believe. Not even Toph. They had all anticipated Katara's reaction. They suspected that her passion for the young Avatar would continue to cause her a great degree of turmoil. She did well to keep any sign of it from her expression, but she couldn't keep the discomfort suppressed entirely. Her voice and eyes betrayed her, letting the others recognize the soul-felt apprehension that amassed deep inside her.

None of them said a word regarding it, however. They left anything pertaining to Aang unspoken, at least for the time being.

When the meal ended, they all went their separate ways. Zuko, Mai and Toph each isolated themselves to their bedchambers, content to rest away any fatigue that carried over from the battles that took place the preceding day. Suki scurried off to check on Sokka. Katara was left alone.

The young woman traversed the winding corridors of the castle, paying little heed to alien environment that encompassed her. Never, in all her years, had Katara imagined that she would not only walk the halls of the Fire Nation Capital willing, but freely; it was a testament to just how significantly things had changed over the last two days.

She recalled her triumph over Azula. The battle had been rigorous. Under the light of Sozin's Comet, she was an incredibly lethal adversary. Zuko had still held his own. He even seemed to obtain the advantage as the fight progressed, but he'd thrown himself in front of a lightning bolt to protect Katara, who then had the combat the empowered Fire Lord alone. She compensated for her lack of power with wit, ensnaring the disturbed woman in a trap. She locked her within a sickle of ice, and once the appropriate restraints were applied, released her from her prison.

When the water bender thought about it, Zuko's sacrifice only proved, once again, how different everything was.

The nations and their people...were finally at peace. The world practically was as well...but, despite all that, Aang wasn't; it wasn't the kind of peace that he wished for.

Darkness had fallen. Katara could see the thick blackness that blanketed the outside world from the open exit at the end of the hall. She stepped out onto the cool grass, inclining her head towards the starry sky. Her right hand went to her mother's necklace, gripping it strongly as she sought some source of emotional strength.

"Aang," she whispered to the gentle breeze that rolled across her. "How...can I help you?"

The question tormented her...for there was no clear answer.

Katara only knew that she was going to him. She wasn't going to give him another night to lay awake and hate himself, as he frequently did. Any tragedy that they ever stumbled upon, Aang always blamed himself. She couldn't even imagine how much worse it was this time around for him.

_The things that he has to be telling himself right now..._ She clamped down on her lower lip as she started to deeply regret having ever left him in the first place.

Katara had done what she thought was the best for him at the time and left him, just as he'd requested. She thought that, like the rest of the group, he needed time to himself. What if, what he really needed, was the exact opposite?

A sharp jolt of fear shot through her as she recalled her own thoughts from just a few seconds before, "_The things he must be telling himself right now..."_

Katara dashed off into a mad sprint, running towards the torchlight that glowed in the distance, frantically searching for a guard to escort her to the landing grounds. The palace was too large and expansive for her to navigate alone.

"I'm so stupid," she moaned, mentally berating herself. How could she forget Aang's overall tendency to react to things? It was never the fault of anyone else. There was never any other monster...but him. _Ugh! Where is a guard when you need one?_

Finally, she spotted one. The man was situated on a stool set against the side of a hut. Judging by his relaxed posture, he was sleeping. When Katara was close enough to tell...the man was snoozing away, blissfully unaware of anything transpiring around him.

The water bender frowned, annoyed. _This is the diligence of Zuko's new guards, huh? _Her eye twitched.

"Wake up!" Katara wasn't playing. She grabbed his tunic, pulling him up towards her face as he came to, She glared daggers into the man's soul. The guard stared back at her with wide eyes, still partially disoriented by slumber."Take me to the Avatar. Now!"

The victimized guard didn't have the slightest clue what was going on at first, but he was at least able to recognize her as one of Zuko's honored guests. He gave no argument in complying with her demand. Katara soon found herself venturing down the long path she'd taken to the landing grounds before. Darkness just made it harder to recognize.

They emerged onto the airfield, proceeding towards the torchlight of two sentries that had been stationed at the ramp.

"What is it?" one of them called. "What is your business?"

Katara's escort began to explain, "She is a friend of the Avatar. One of Prince Zuko's guests."

The two nodded, stepping aside and allowing her access.

"Thank you," Katara said, brushing past her guide and hurriedly walking up the metal incline.

As she entered the craft and proceeded towards the cabin in which Aang resided, her heart grew heavy. The sense of foreboding was back again. Whether or not it was just paranoia, she couldn't tell. She hoped for the latter.

Katara was outside his door in no time. Just like when she came before, the girl found herself hesitating before she even placed her hand on the knob. She feared what she would see once she stepped into the room. She feared that she'd find Aang in some horrible condition. Most of all...she feared it would break her.

Katara swallowed, hardening her eyes as she strengthened her resolve. _I have to be strong for __Aang! And so long he doesn't start screaming again, I'll be okay. _She never, ever wanted to hear him make such a sound. She swore that she'd do everything she could to ensure he never had a reason to again.

With that, the water bender opened the door slowly. She poked her head inside.

The room looked the same as it had when she left before. The candle was still sitting in the exact same place in the corner, halfway through its life but burning strongly, and she could see that Aang wasn't there next to it.

Before that horrible feeling in her gut could even rear its ugly head, however, she heard his voice, "Katara," he called to her softly.

The girl retrieved the candle again, lifting it up and letting its light shed on the mattress. She found Aang sitting on the bed just like he'd been in the corner, with his knees tucked tightly against his chest. She sat the candle on the table to the side, situating herself on the mattress by Aang's feet.

As Katara looked into his eyes, she saw him looking back...and it relieved her. He seemed more than he had before. She leaned forward, smiling as she moved to embrace him. Her arms slid around his balled up frame, pulling him closely.

Much to her delight, Aang returned the hug. His arms wrapped around her waist as he buried his face against her neck. Katara was overjoyed that he seemed to be doing better and was no where near as bad off as she'd feared.

"Oh, Aang," she whispered into his ear affectionately. "Are you feeling okay?" She pulled away, staring inquisitively into his eyes, as though she were searching for any signs that suggested otherwise."You're...with me this time, right?"

"I'm always with you, Katara," came his soft response. Yeah, sure, on a normal day it could have been perceived as corny. It was the way he said it, though, that not only made her believe him, but made her heart do leaps; it was his passion that left her on the verge of melting against him.

Despite that, however, she could still distinguish that there was also sadness that resonated In his voice.

Her eyes shimmered with adoration as she dreamily contemplated, _How could I ever have doubted how I felt about him?_

"How are you holding up?" Katara inquired.

The young Avatar shrugged. His eyes lowered as he looked off to the side. "Not well." he stated simply.

She nodded. "Well...um...would you...like to talk about it?" Katara didn't want to move too fast too soon. Aang undoubtedly still had some walls up and he'd lash out if she tried to knock any of them down.

He shook his head. "No." His tone lowered.

"Okay," Katara returned as she ran face first into one of those walls she'd been thinking about. She took a deep a breath as she began to speak again, "Just let me say this, Aang. You're the bravest, kindest and most amazing person I know. Your selfless and righteous and I believe that every part of you is pure. I believe that every part of you will always BE pure, and do you know why?"

Aang's response was far from interested. "Why?"

"I think that way because your sitting around...feeling like you are now," Katara laid her hand on delicately against the side of his face, caressing his check with a loving smile. "You're feeling so much pain because of what happened. No one with anything less than a clear spirit could ever feel that level of remorse. I think...that the Avat-"

Her face smacked another wall, and this time it put her on her ass.

"Don't," Aang snapped, though he didn't raise his voice. "Just don't speak of them." He shut his eyes and added, "You don't know anything."

"You're right," she concurred, backing down. "I'm sorry. I just...wish I could take away this pain you're feeling, Aang. I want you to be happy. You saved the world."

"Ha," he scoffed, chuckling quietly. "Yeah, of course. Avatar Aang! Savior of the whole freaking universe," the boy exaggerated. "That's me alright."

Katara frowned at his sarcasm. "Aang, saving the world isn't something to laugh at. You kept so many people from dying. Thousands owe everything to you. You should be proud."

"I should be proud," Aang agreed, raising his voice. "I should be completely happy! You know what, though? I'm not! I'm not happy!" he spat, banging his head back against the wall in frustration. "I'm angry. Angry at the other Avatars because all along they let me believe I had a choice, when I never did. I'm nothing but a tool to them."

"Don't say that." Katara looked at him with concern. "They are your past lives. They are you."

"I'M NOTHING LIKE THEM!" Aang asserted fervently. He seemed truly upset, as if she'd insulted him severely. The tears began to swell in his eyes, and upon seeing that, tears began to swell in her own.

"I'm nothing like them," he repeated softly.

Katara wrapped her arms around his head, pulling him into her chest. She felt him shaking...and it didn't take a genius to know he was crying again.  
>It tore her up inside. The young girl could only go as far inside as Aang would allow her. For the time, he was adamantly denying her access. She had no idea what was in his heart.<p>

"Will you...stay here with me? Just for tonight." Katara heard him ask in a whisper.

_How could I say no? _she wondered with smile. "Of course, silly."

"Thank you, Katara."

"I'll always be here for you, Aang."

They were making progress. Aang seemed to be learning to cope with the ordeal as time progressed, just as everyone expected he would. His manner of coping was the variable that potentially frightened her. Nevertheless, she was glad that, for the most part, Zuko and the others were right. To be safe, though, she made the mental promise to walk with him through it. She swore to stay by his side.

Earlier, Katara had been so desperate to help Aang that she intended to apologize to him about their last encounter before the comet. She still did, but...for some reason, the time just didn't seem right. She would explain everything, but something told her to hold off on it. Aang had enough on his mind. If he wasn't worrying about their relationship, then she wasn't go to bring it up.

Things were still...a little complicated.


	4. Illusions

**Author's Note: ****I just can't seem to put this story down. Lol. I've updated everyday since I published it, and honestly, it is probably going to continue like this. I got my exam and my final draft of my Synthesis paper submitted, with positive feedback on both, and have thus freed up schedule. I've got a couple of day to goof around and update before my next homework assignments are due, so expect to see a lot of activity going on with this story. I intend to do a lot of things with it, and I hope you all approve. Here it is!**

Chapter 4 - Illusions

_ "__**Avatar...**__"_

_ Aang awoke to an alien environment. He floated within a thick darkness that encompassed everything around him. It stretched on into eternity. He glanced around, confused and disoriented by the horrible blackness. There was not even the faintest glimmer of light to be found. Nothingness was his only companion in the void._

_ "Katara," he yelled out, his voice resounding repeatedly throughout the abyss. "Katara! Where are you?"_

_ No response._

_ The young Avatar recalled asking the water bender to stay with him, and much to his pleasure, she hadn't turned him down. She never left his side once for the rest of the night, and he had fallen asleep in her arms; it was a place he remembered wishing he could stay for eternity._

_ Now... he was lost within the depths of some kind of dark purgatory._

_ It was cold, he noted. The frigid atmosphere chilled him to the marrow in his bones, and no amount of hugging himself would dispel it. He shuddered like a leaf caught in the wind of a storm; it was a very cold storm at that. Aang could only clutch himself tighter and pray for warmth._

_ "Where am I?" the boy inquired to the emptiness._

_ "__**Avatar..." **_

_ Aang's mind went alert as the sinister whisper reverberated throughout the air, sending a shudder coursing down his spine. The voice was ominous...and yet, from some reason, familiar. Coupled with the current scenery, it was also terrifying. The boy glanced around again, trying to identify the source of it. Still, his eyes laid upon only darkness._

_**"Are you lost, Avatar?"**__it whispered again, almost mockingly. _**"**_**Can you not find your way?"**_

_"Who are you?" Aang called out, demanding for the voice to identify itself. "Come out!"_

_**"You truly are blind if you cannot see me..."**_

_The young Avatar blinked, confused by it's words. "How can I see anything in this darkness?" he yelled, annoyed. "Stop playing games! What do you want?"_

_**"Why am I the one who wants something, when your the one who's lost?"**_

_"I'm __**not**__ lost," Aang asserted strongly._

_**"Then why are you here?"**_

_Aang didn't have an answer for that. He had assumed that...well...maybe the creepy voice had brought him here._

_ He scratched his head, "Uh...I don't know."_

_ This time the voice did not reply. A heavy silence set in once more. Aang was bothered by the familiarity in the sinister whisper, recognizing it to some degree; it was like he had heard it before. He was certain he had, as a matter of fact, but he couldn't put his finger on to whom it belonged._

_ Abruptly, a blinding white light split through the heavy darkness, tearing into the infinite nothingness. It intensified momentarily, developing an eye-searing level of luminosity that hurt Aang's eyes even though they were shut. He put his hand up to shield them._

_ Then, just as swiftly as it had come...it vanished._

_ Aang slowly lowered his arm, cautiously opening one eye to inspect the environment once more._

_He was surprised at what he saw. A large door, centered upon a small patch of gray earth, was suspended in the abyss. It predominated the darkness itself. Even from across the short distance between him and it, Aang could distinguish its odd features. It's aspects set it apart from anything he'd ever seen._

_ Never had he laid eyes on a door that was so heavily secured._

_ A multitude of massive, thick chains were coiled tightly against it, reinforcing the barricade of stone slabs that were fastened across its width. Bizarre, unidentifiable inscriptions were carved into their surface._

_ As Aang observed it, he developed a fascination with that he couldn't understand. Some profound attraction gripped his soul, drawing him towards it. He didn't resist the pull. He felt almost like he was in a trace. His feet soon touched the cool patch of earth, finding himself before the towering door._

_ Up close, he could identify several fractures in the structure. Several long, nasty cracks stretched up along the door's left half before branching out like spiderwebs to the other side. He stepped closer to it._

_ An indescribable vibe rippled through Aang's senses. He couldn't determine if it was good or bad, but the closer he moved into proximity of the structure...the stronger it got. The sensation continue to amplify with each step, growing little by little until it started to burn, but Aang couldn't stop. He wanted to touch the door, to see what was behind it. _

_ He could hear the voice whispering, __**"The hardest part about life is seeing through its illusions."**_

_Aang's arm began to lift without his consent, but he was too entranced to retaliate._

_**"When we are unable to do so, it becomes hard to differentiate between fantasy...and reality."**_

_His outstretched digits grew closer to the structure's surface..._

_**"You cannot see past those illusions Avatar," **__it explained, __**"just as you cannot see past this darkness...and just as you cannot see me."**_

_Aang's fingertips were just mere inches away..._

_**"Discard everything...and you will break your chains and open the door to the truth."**_

Aang snapped awake. He shot upright, casting his gaze hurriedly around the dimly light environment. He breathed a sigh of relief as he recognized that he was back inside the cabin. The young boy was grateful to finally be released from the darkness that had ensnared him. A new feeling, however, had instilled itself in his heart. He felt like a void had developed within him, one left by the mysterious door that beckoned him towards it. He had wanted so badly to see what lay beyond it.

The Avatar rested his forehead in the palm of his hand, remembering the voice's words. He struggled with their vagueness. What illusion was he supposed to dispel? HOW was he supposed to dispel it?

He grew frustrated.

Suddenly, Aang was aware of movement beside him. He turned to his right, gazing down to see Katara laying next to him closely. Her eyes were open, peering back at him through the candlelight.

"Did you have a nightmare?" she inquired softly. She placed a hand on his arm as the water bender sat up beside him.

The Avatar smiled, appreciating her concern. He'd always adored her motherly nature; it was one of the things he loved most about her. She would always consider his best interest, often worrying herself sick because of it. He truly wished she knew just how deeply he appreciated her for that. Caring about him was the greatest gift she had ever given him.

Aang was suddenly reminded of the incident on Ember Island. His heart went cold as he recalled every detail vividly, remembering her rejection of him best of all. It cut his soul every time he thought about it.

"No, just a weird dream," he stated simply in an flat voice. "Sorry to wake you."

He felt her warm hand on his cheek as she made him look at her. Katara's azure eyes tried to captivate him, as they so often had done, but even though he was turned towards her...he did his best not to meet her gaze. Aang didn't want to expose himself again. He hated how vulnerable she could make him.

"Aang," Katara's gaze hardened seriously. "You don't have to hide things from me. You can tell me anything."

"Yeah. I have doubts about that," he said before he could stop himself. It wasn't the young boy's intention to instigate with her. One part of him wanted to make her feel some level of pain akin to what he experienced on Ember Island, but the other half wished only to hold her.

Katara was taken aback, hurt reflected clearly in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing." Aang refused to explain it to her. _She should know,_ he thought bitterly.

Like always, the water bender was persistent. "Aang," she pressed softly. "Tell me what else is bothering you." She drew closer to him. "Let me help..."

The Avatar started to feel uncomfortable. The closer she got to him, the closer he came to losing his mind. He loathed how divided he was. He wanted only to push her away, to erase the spell the girl unconsciously cast on him. The boy felt like his feelings were her playground...and he just kept letting her come back to trample on him.

Aang didn't think he could resist the dark-skinned siren in front of him, but somehow...he was able to pull away just before he convinced himself to capture her lips with his. The young boy stood up, facing the wall.

Katara's expression became downcast. Her eyes lowered sadly as she stared at the bed sheets. Every time she reached out, he shoved her back. The woman contemplated her next action, not wanting to upset Aang any further. She had a good idea concerning what had him so ruffled, but she feared addressing it would only make matters worse.

Katara didn't know if she was making the right decision, but...against her instincts, she spoke, "Aang...I think...we need to have a talk."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Yes there is."

"No, there isn't."

"If you'll let me ex-"

"Explain?" Aang snapped as he turned on her. Finally, he let it all come out."You did enough explaining when you tore my heart out at Ember Island! And like that wasn't enough for you, you come back and try to pry your way into what's left of it again so you can mess with it some more! But I'm done. Thank you for comforting me last night, Katara, but I don't need you to play _best friend _with me anymore. Just stop acting like you give a damn about me! I can't take it!"

Katara's head was lowered, so he was unable to see her eyes or expression. As he stood there, though, his words hung hauntingly in the atmosphere. The tension grew thick. When he saw her shoulders begin to shake, Aang's heart pained with regret, but he didn't let it show past his anger.

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" she whispered. "You think I'm just...playing you?"

Suddenly, Katara's head snapped up. He saw the pain and anger that swirled in her teary eyes as she yelled at him, "You idiot! You're so stupid! I know you're upset about having to kill the Fire Lord, but I've worried myself sick over you ever since you left. And even though you're back, I still can't stop worrying. What happened on Ember Island wasn't what you took it for. Yes, I was confused. What did you expect? You're advances on me were always too sudden, Aang! It scared me, but _you_ never stopped to consider that, did you? Of course not! You're so selfish, but how can anyone expect anything less from some kid, even if you are _supposed _to be the Avatar. "

She spoke with such venom in her voice that a thought crossed her mind that maybe she'd gone too far, but Katara's vehemence made it something she honestly could care less about at the time.

Aang endured her outburst silently with confused feelings. He felt angry at first and then sad...but as the water bender finished her rant, she struck a cord that set him back off again.

"You know what? Go. Leave," he ordered, in a quiet by assertive voice as he struggled with his emotions, pointing to the door. "I shouldn't have asked you to stay here to begin with. I should have known better," he added hatefully. He would have yelled...but for some reason, a stabbing pain assaulted his heart, siphoning off his fury and replacing it with numbness. He didn't care enough to scream. "You don't have to hang around with some kid anymore, even if he is _supposed _to be the Avatar," he repeated her last few words to him. "Just get out."

Katara frowned as she observed his change in demeanor. The absence of yelling made having an actual conversation more civil and preferable, so if he was done...so was she. As her indignation subsided, she became more aware of her harshness, and started to regret what she'd said. The woman, however, refused to let Aang win this battle. He was being overly dramatic and it was growing more and more pestiferous to her. She sympathized with his hardships, but the boy had no right to treat her like that when all she ever wanted was to help and love him. He was just too blind to see how much she actually cared for him. He was too submerged in his own self-pity.

"Didn't you hear me?" Aang repeated. "Leave me alone, Katara. Go...away."

"How many times will you push me away, Aang?" she asked softly as she stared into his eyes. It was then that the young Avatar realized how distraught she was. Peering into those cerulean eyes, he saw the maelstrom of emotions that swirled within her soul. He saw the hurt, the pain, and the confusion, and he had to look away. "You say I don't care for you, but would I be standing here...arguing with you if I didn't?"

The young boy didn't have an answer. He turned away from her again. His thoughts grew more turbulent. He knew...deep down...that his demeanor was affected by more than just the memory of Ember Island. His forced killing of Ozai was definitely a factor as well, of course...but he felt that the real reason went much deeper than that. Too deep for him to just dig up effortlessly.

Aang was too distracted by his own thoughts to hear Katara come up behind him. It wasn't until she slid her arms around his waist and pulled herself against him that he knew she was there. The stubborn side of his personality wanted to press the battle fronts some more, but he was tired of initiating arguments with her. They'd done nothing but argue the last three times they'd seen each other...and he wanted it to end.

_Then why'd you start it?_ He asked himself.

"Aang." Katara's whisper brought him out of his thoughts. He could hear the tears in her voice. "Don't you see? I was here waiting for you." She smiled into his back. "I am _still_ here waiting for you."

She could feel him begin to relax into her, but there was still tension present. The water bender capitalized on the moment, knowing that she needed to act fast if she wanted to smooth things over. She released Aang and spun him around, putting his back against the wall as she peered lovingly up into his eyes.

_He's grown so much since I found him in the iceberg, _Katara noted mentally.

"Aang," she began as she cupped his face between her hands, "I can't describe the depths of my feelings for you. I know how I reacted at Ember Island, but as I said...it was only because I was confused, not because I didn't share the same level of affection. I did kiss you back on the day we invaded the Fire Nation, didn't I?" she asked with a flirtatious look in her eye.

The young Avatar sighed heavily as he listened to her. Katara was telling him things he only dreamed she would. She was standing before him, giving him hope to replace the cold emptiness that settled in his soul. It felt like the wound left behind that day they parted had finally closed; it was bleeding no more.

"Aang?" Katara said his name, watching him expectantly. She was hopeful that he wouldn't relapse back into his depressed state and shut her out again. She would be devastated if it happened again, despite all she was saying and doing.

When his eyes opened, Katara's heart skipped a beat. Aang's expression was devoid of the hostility that had predominated his earlier demeanor. The agitated condition of his psychological state seemed alleviated as he affectionately stared back into the water bender's eyes. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

"That day. I remember the kiss...but it's fuzzy," the Avatar said with a playful wink. "Would you refresh my memory?"

She giggled. "Really now?"

"Really, really."

"I think I could do something about that." Katara's eyes lowered as she leaned forward, slanting her head to the side as she closed in on her target. Their lips were just centimeters apart...and just before they connected, a soft thump emanated from outside the cabin.

Aang and Katara listened closely as they both looked in its direction. They could see shadows moving through the light in the hallway, though the space between the door and the floor only allowed them to pick up on that much. The pair separated, quietly approaching the other side of the room in an endeavor to determine the identity of the people outside. Aang leaned against the door, pressing his ears to the surface.

_"Do you think they heard that?"_ He heard a man whisper, whom he immediately identified as Sokka.

_"Ssh, listen," _came a feminine voice that he knew belonged to Suki.

Aang arched a brow, looking at Katara, who joined him in listening in. Her visage was hinted with annoyance. Soundlessly, they both agreed to take action. Aang's hand slowly gripped the door handle, careful not to make a noise, before swiftly pulling it open.

Sokka and Suki both fell into the room on their hands and knees. The pair looked up, knowing that they had busted them in the act of eavesdropping. Toph stood with her arms folded out in the hall, reclined against the wall.

"What are you guys doing?" Katara asked with a frown. "How long have you been out there?"

"Uh...not long_." _Suki stated with a nervous smile.

"I told them to just knock," the blind girl asserted with a shrug. "They wanted to get all nosy with It though, now look where it got them."

" Look, we didn't come here to spy on you guys," Sokka began as he stood up with help of Suki, babying his broken leg, "despite how it looks. We came to check on you two. It's already well into the morning, and Zuko wants to speak with you, Aang, if you're up for it." He looked to the young Avatar.

"He wants to discuss the details of the upcoming ceremony."

Aang nodded as he looked to Katara. "I understand," he said. He exhaled heavily, closing his eyes for a moment. "While you're all here, though...I just want to say...that I'm sorry. I know that I haven't been myself since the battle with Ozai, and I apologize that I've kind of...well...been taking my frustrations out on you all. It's complicated."

Toph kicked herself off from the wall and approached the others, "Hey, don't sweat it. It's not the first time you've gone off the depth end," she said jokingly as she punched him in the shoulder.

The young boy cradled his afflicted arm, caressing the developing bruise.

"Yeah, Aang. Toph's right," Sokka exclaimed. Everyone watched him expectantly, waiting for him to follow up with something else. The water tribe warrior noticed this, and looked back and forth confusedly between them. "What? Do you want me to give him a cookie?"

Suki tagged her boyfriend on the back of the head. "Way to be sympathetic," she hissed at him sarcastically.

Aang laughed lightheartedly for the first time since Ember Island. It felt so good to be there with them, having their usual conversations. Moments like those always allowed him to escape from the struggles of everyday life, even if only for a few moments. He still cherished every single one of them.

"We are all here for you, Aang," Katara added as she hugged his arm, snuggling up against him. "You are never alone."

"Yeah," Aang agreed. "I'm...not alone."


	5. Voices

**Author's note: You know, I've always admired when an author exhibits a positive degree of consistency with their updates. It's always been something I look for when I'm trying to get enthralled by a good read. It sucks getting caught up into a good story only to be cut off due to the author's far from frequent updating. Things happen though, and sometimes stories just don't get finished. I'm not gunning for that. I'm having way too much fun writing this for some reason. I'm looking forward to starting the next chapter especially.**

** My reviews aren't massive but they aren't non-existent neither, and for that, I thank all of you. Feedback gives my writing purpose.**

** I can safely say, however, that my traffic is up pretty high. I'm averaging one-hundred visits a day with up to three-hundred hits, so obviously people are reading this. At least I have that to fall back on. Here's to you anonymous peeps!**

Chapter 5 - Voices

"It's good to see you are doing better, Aang."

The young Avatar and his companions were situated comfortably upon padded futons before the soon to be crowned Fire Lord, who addressed the monk with a friendly smile. After successfully getting Aang to leave the airship, they'd made their way back to the palace, where Zuko waited to greet them.

He'd been pleased to see the air-bender out and about. The prince had been apprehensive about his state of mind, concerned that he'd be forced to have his coronation without him. Zuko's nation could not just wait idly for him to take his throne. They needed a leader, and his advisers were pressing him from all sides to act quickly. They also understood the importance of Aang's presence, however; it was symbolic of the unity and trust that both wished to be shared among the nations.

From the way things seemed to be progressing, Zuko suspected that everything may turn out alright in the end after all. As long as the Avatar maintained himself, nothing else could jeopardize the ceremony.

"I'm sorry to have worried you, Zuko." Aang bowed in respect. "I am aware of how urgent it is for us to address the nations. I didn't mean to cause any unnecessary delays."

"Don't be absurd," the prince returned. "I was a little concerned, I admit, but you haven't pushed the envelope far at all, so don't fret. I was more than willing to give you some time to recuperate. For what you've done, it's the very least I could do."

"Thank you for that. I just needed a while to sort things out." The young monk looked at Katara, who sat to his left, and smiled. "I'm back at one-hundred percent now, though, and ready to tackle whatever." He turned back to his scarred friend.

The _one-hundred _percent statement was a lie, of course. He was considerably better than he had been, no doubt, but there were still other factors that weighed down his spirit. He remained fervently indignant towards the other Avatars. They had betrayed his trust and manipulated him like some marionette. They used him to do their dirty work, and for that, Aang didn't know if he'd be able to forgive them. Thinking about it only frustrated him. Then there was the dream. The voice still haunted him. It's cryptic words caused his mind just all the more turmoil as he struggled to decipher their true meaning. The endeavors were fruitless, however, as the answer continued to elude him.

"Then would you agree that we hold the ceremony in one week?" Zuko inquired. "We'll have to prepare. I intend to deploy messengers to Ba Sing Se and request the presence of the Earth King. I'd like to have as many members of every nation that I can. My father, as well as my grandfather, wrought a horrible havoc on this world that has left the people decimated. To fix things, I must first try to mend the wounds in the people's hearts."

Aang nodded his head, agreeing with the young princes' approach. "I think you have the right idea." He placed his hand on his chest. "The monks used to say that in order for people to be at peace with others, they must first be at peace with themselves. There is definitely still a lot of negativity left around, so we'll have to do our best to show people that we can change things. We can't rewrite history, but we _can_ redefine the injustice that has crippled it."

As Katara listened to the boy beside her, she was fascinated with his insight. She was reminded again of how much he'd grown. He always had this transcendental wisdom about him, despite his goofy antics, and it always manifested itself at the appropriate time. As the months progressed, Katara began to see that wisdom become more and more prominent. He matured so quickly for someone so young.

She also noted that, while he seemed to be such a master at helping other people with their problems, he was clueless when it came to handling his own.

"Excellent," exclaimed Zuko. "I'm glad we agree. I'll be particularly preoccupied with the preparations, so I don't know when I'll be free enough to speak to you again." He looked over the rest of the group, addressing them. "Just know that you all are to make yourselves at home. If you want anything, just speak to one of the guards or servants and you will receive it."

"Great! I'm hungry," Sokka stated as he rubbed his stomach. "I think another feast would do the soul some good."

Suki rolled her eyes. "That's my Sokka."

"Hey! Nutrition is vital to my muscle growth," he responded, flexing his left arm and tapping his bicep with an approving smile.

Zuko rose to his feet. "Well then, I'm afraid I'll have to take my leave. Thank you, Aang." He bowed his head to his companion. "I look forward to rebuilding this world with you."

"As do I." Aang returned the bow as the prince waved to the others and dismissed himself.

He disappeared out into the hallway.

"Zuko's really taking this Fire Lord thing seriously," Sokka commented as he placed a hand on his knee. "He's come a long way from who he was a year ago."

"We all have," Suki added with a small as she placed her hand over his, squeezing it affectionately.

"Most of us, anyway," Toph remarked as she waved her hand through the air. "Sokka hasn't. His jokes are just as lame as the first time I met him," she said teasingly.

"Hey!" Sokka jumped to his own defense, before noticing Suki's silence and turning back to her. "Do _you _think my jokes are lame?" he asked with a hint of insecurity in his voice.

The others burst out laughing.

Aang recomposed himself after a moment. He wiped his eyes, appreciating the comical relief. Sometimes laughter truly was the best medicine, especially when it came to soothing the spirit. When they were all together, things just seemed more...right to him. They truly were his family.

His eyes found Katara, who immediately looked back. The young monk could swear, at times, that she was some heavenly being that had somehow fallen from above and right into his life. She was beautiful in every aspect. Her loving nature and considerate personality were only the tip of the iceberg of reasons that he'd found to love her. He thought back to their moment in the cabin, where he'd come so close to finally kissing her again...only for it to be ruined by Sokka and Suki.

Aang wasn't too upset regarding that, however, as he suspected that they'd get another chance to try again soon enough. Ember Island was nothing but a far-off memory of a bad misunderstanding, and it no longer ailed his heart when he thought of it. The Avatar was pleased to have _that _weight no longer burden his spirit.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Katara asked bashfully, her cheeks a tint of red.

"It's hard not to," Aang answered simply with a glazed over look in his eye.

The water bender arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh really?" she drawled mischievously. "And just what is so fascinating about me, Mr. Avatar?"

He cocked his head to the side, answering the question honestly as he smiled and said, "Everything."

The response sent a warm tingling coursing down Katara's spine, making her skin break out in goosebumps. She held her arms, looking away as the blush on her visage deepened. _That was a good answer,_ she noted inwardly.

Aang was happy to see the effect he was having on her. Maybe, he wondered, he could come to affect her the same way she affected him. He hoped that their relationship would develop to a point that neither could stand to be away from the other, because a day without her was like a small eternity to him. He never wanted to envision a future in which she was not a part of his life. She had become a tie to his sanity, his heart and his soul, and he would be disconnected from them all without her.

"So guys," Sokka interrupted, "what's the plan? Do we just sit around the palace all day or what?"

"That honestly doesn't sound too appealing to me," Toph stated. "I don't know why, but I've been feeling pretty pumped up, so I'd kind of like to go do something."

Sokka crossed his arms, stroking his chin as he looked up thoughtfully. "Well...we could go back to Ember Island, I guess?"

"I wouldn't mind," Suki stated with a shrug.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but let's be sure to avoid that play at all costs," she commented, flinching as she recalled the memory. The play was abominable, and it had only served to trigger a conflict between her and Aang. The act represented a horrible memory that she didn't want to relive.

"So it's settled then," her brother declared as he stood up enthusiastically.

Aang shrugged. "Sounds fine to me." He regarded Katara. "Where is Appa, by the way?"

"He's in one of the stables on the outskirts of the city," she explained. "We couldn't find a better place for him than that."

He nodded. "I'm sure he's getting restless, too," he said with a laughter in his voice that pleased Katara to hear.

"Well, if we're going to be kicking it at the beach again, Twinkle Toes," Toph started, addressing the boy with a mischievous smile before declaring, "Earth bending match!" She beat her fist into her hand excitedly.

The young monk shrugged, "Sounds awesome, Toph." He wouldn't turn down a friendly sparring session with the blind bandit. Despite having conquered Ozai, he was cognizant of the importance of maintaining a diligent training ethic. Even if he was upset with Roku and the others, he couldn't necessarily just stop being the Avatar. He wanted to pretend he could...at least for a few hours, but he was adamantly set against letting his incompetence inflict another wrong upon the world. He'd done enough damage lying dormant for a hundred years.

_I was such a fool for running, _Aang told himself. As he reflected on his decision to leave the Air Temple and the tragedies that ensued afterwords, he couldn't help but feel that good had come of it. If he'd chosen to stay, Aang would never have met Sokka, Suki or Toph. He never would have met Katara. His entire life would have been completely different.

That wasn't the way things unfolded, however. The young monk _did _decide to run and _was_ there with all of them. He couldn't help but feel that he was right where he belonged.

_**They'll turn on you...**_

Aang went rigid as the familiar voice that had haunted him in his dream whispered, sending chills down his body and making his head snap up in attention.

Katara noticed the boy's sudden change in demeanor, and reached out to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Aang?" She called out his name, worry lacing the features of her visage. "Is everything okay?"

The boy forced a smile, "Yeah," he lied, trying to ease her. "I'm great!" He didn't want to upset her by saying that he was hearing voices in his head. He didn't imagine that anyone in the group would react well to that and the last thing he wanted was to be deemed the world's first schizophrenic Avatar.

Katara wasn't fooled by his facade, but she didn't press it. The water bender simply returned his smile halfheartedly. "Okay then."

Aang internally sighed. _When am I going to be able to stop lying to her? _He thought to himself. He was making a habit of it and it wasn't something he was necessarily enjoying. Katara could read him like an open book. She always could, but the situation he found himself in wasn't something that she could help him with. It was his burden to shoulder alone.

_**When are you going to stop lying to yourself? **_The voice hissed once more.

The young Avatar ignored it this time. Much to his delight, it said nothing more. He noted that obviously none of the others heard it either times, which meant that he was as he thought: alone in dealing with it.

_ I can't let them know._

Aang stood up, taking the initiative in order to distract his thoughts. "Okay! What are we waiting for? Let's go to Ember Island!" He dramatically stuck his finger in the air, unconsciously striking a make-shift pose.

"You been practicing that, Oh Mighty Avatar?" Sokka asked, snickering at how he ridiculous he looked.

"Maybe I have," Aang countered, faking optimism as much as he able. "Let's go!" He marched past the others, plotting a course for the exit.

"Well...at least he's enthusiastic," Sokka noted dully. "Come on, Suki." He took his girlfriends' hand, gently pulling her along behind him.

"He better be enthusiastic," Toph asserted in a fiery voice as she followed. "I'm ready to rumble!"

Katara lingered behind only for a second, watching Aang as he paraded out the chamber with a skip in his step, acting as though nothing encumbered his spirit. She wasn't mislead by his false persona for even an instant. She frowned.

_I'm definitely confronting him about this tonight, _she asserted mentally.

The water bender had seen his expression. For one instant, he dropped his defenses and slipped up, letting her see further into him than he had allowed recently. The apprehension in those gray eyes of his was blatant. She'd elected not to pry in front of everyone else, but she resolved to squeeze out as much information as she could next time they were alone.

_I'll strangle it out of him if I have to._

"Yo, Sugar Queen. You coming or what?"

Katara was drawn out thought by Toph's voice. She looked up, seeing her, Sokka and Suki waiting for her at the door. "Coming!" she called out as she jogged up to them hurriedly. For her, they couldn't get to Ember Island quick enough.


	6. Fracture

**Author's Note: Yo. I'm back once again with another update. So far, I'm keeping my pace. I'm averaging a chapter a day, so what do you know? As I've stated, I'm having fun with this. It's really...surprising, actually, how entertaining it is for me to write this. Especially after coming off a four-year hiatus. Strange, neh? Anyway, I've incorporated quite a bit of drama into this one. I felt like the last chapter didn't have much substance to it, so I wanted to redeem myself. I HAD to redeem myself. So here's the goods. **

Chapter 6 – Fracture

A delicate breeze caressed the shores of Ember Island. It rolled across the landscape, tugging gently at the clothing upon Toph and Aang's back as they faced each other down. The two assumed their respective stances, readying themselves for combat. Upon their arrival to the luxurious resort, the blind bandit had dismounted Appa and instantly reminded Aang of his promise, pressing for an immediate sparring match.

Katara had initially protested, arguing that they should probably settle in first. Her real reason was unspoken. She'd wanted to get Aang along so she could interrogate him regarding what had bothered him at the palace, but Toph would not be dissuaded. The water bender could only let them get it out of their system before having the chance to prod Aang for details.

Now, they were lined up along the beach, staring one another down while she, Sokka and Suki observed from a safe distance.

"Are you sure you're ready, Twinkle Toes?" Toph taunted with a smirk. She wasn't so arrogant as to believe that she was necessarily Aang's better, but the girl was dead set on trying to be. In a pure contest of earth bending skill, she surmised that the advantage was still hers. She had the most experience with the element and had been one of his instructors. She taught him everything he knew, but not everything _she _knew.

Her opponent was crafty, however, and she recognized that to be the greatest threat that he presented. Toph widened her stance, the soles of her shoes digging into the sand.

Aang returned the smirk. His eyes were hard with a look of determination. "Bring it on," he challenged good-naturedly.

"You asked for it," she returned. Toph's lips set in a firm line.

Aang noted the seriousness in her visage, knowing that the young girl wasn't going to pull any punches. She was a formidable adversary and an extremely valuable asset to their team. He respected her for all that she was. Nevertheless, the monk didn't plan on losing, even if it was just a sparring match.

"Here I come," Toph bellowed. She broke off into a sprint, swiftly covering the short distance between her and her opponent.

Aang recognized the advancement as a silent invitation to close-range combat.

_Hand-to-hand first, huh? _He thought.

The monk dug his feet into the sand, getting himself ready to react as the speed of the bandit had her upon him in no time at all. His mind went alert with adrenaline, his eyes catching the movement of her left leg as she twisted her torso, deploying a vicious kick towards his mid-section. The air bender flipped acrobatically over the oncoming attack, landing nimbly on his toes behind her and countering with a lunging thrust of his own.

Toph sensed the motion, rotating her body and using the momentum to effectively parry the punch with her forearm. She felt the action set Aang off-balance and capitalized on the opening with an uppercut. The young Avatar just narrowly managed to tilt his himself back out of her range, feeling the wind come off the assault. He leaped back, putting some space between them.

The blind bandit didn't allow him more than an instant to compose himself before she was baring down on him once more. The girl hurled herself towards him, throwing her weight behind her right fist as she struck out.

Aang saw the move coming from a mile-away, and effortlessly leaned his head out of its path. He didn't recognize the attack as a fake-out, however, until Toph curved the punch in towards her chest, thrusting out her elbow and drilling it into his temple. The force of it knocked his legs out from underneath him. The monk rolled to his feet immediately, recovering as his senses were just slightly disoriented. She'd caught him well.

"No time to rest yet," Toph yelled out to him as she sprung with another punch.

Aang managed to catch her wrist, using her own horsepower to throw the girl over his shoulder and into the sand. She hit the ground with a thud before scrambling back to her feet.

They stood motionless as they sized each other once more. Toph was listening closely to the sounds he made, using the rhythm of his beating heart to measure the distance that divided them.

She smiled excitedly. "Good job," she congratulated, "but I _hope_ you're ready for the hard part."

Aang knew what she was implying. "I'm ready," he verified confidently.

"Then here it comes!" Toph stomped down on the sand, summoning the hard rock beneath its surface and molding it into a sphere. She pushed her palm into its side, projecting the dense body towards her adversary, who dodged to his left. Utilizing the vibrations of his footsteps, the earth bender unleashed a vicious assault with boulders of sand and rock, synchronizing her attacks with Aang's movements.

He dodged gracefully. He leaped and spun, springing off his hands and feet to effectively maneuver out of the path of the attacks. The monk found that he had only an instant to react to each individual strike, but fortunately his speed didn't let him down. He was able to evade every blow, but dodging wouldn't work forever.

"You're going to have to attack eventually, Twinkle Toes!" Toph yelled.

The monk didn't act like he gave her words any attention and resumed handling her onslaught with skillful evasion. His agility enabled him to stay half a step ahead, but he knew that Toph was starting to get his timing.

Suddenly, the earth bender's barrage ceased.

Aang took a defensive stance with his back to the sea.

Toph closed her eyes, lowering her hands as she concentrated on bending the ground. She invoked the tons of rock and sand in front of her feet, amassing the earth in a makeshift tsunami that towered over Aang, enveloping him in its shadow. _This will get him to fight seriously!_

"Try this," Toph exclaimed loudly as she threw her hands out, willing the wave forward.

Aang observed the oncoming attack with a frown. He extended both of his arms, spreading his fingers apart and seeking out the energies in the soil underneath him. He found nothing. The boy doubled-back mentally, alarmed. The element was...almost like it was denying him. Then something unexpected happened. Searing pain lanced through his chest, causing him to lurch forward as his face twisted in a silent scream of agony. The young monk's vision blurred, his consciousness threatened by the unbearable hurt. He'd never experienced so much pain. It was soul crippling and he felt his strength wane. He fell to his knees.

Images flashed rapidly through the monk's mind. Scenes of fire and corpses flickered in front of him. Before he could distinguish the features the bodies, he saw the door from his dream. The monolithic structure had developed several more cracks, all of which spewed a strange, dark mist. The massive chains that constricted it began to fracture and collapse thunderously, before the images became obscure and then stopped completely.

"Aang!" He became aware of a distant voice screaming his name.

"Look out!"

He started to register what they were yelling, but the monk didn't even have time to react before the force of Toph's assault came smashing into him. He didn't even fell himself be battered by the tidal wave of rock and sand as he was completely submerged beneath it. Everything began to spin...

Then everything went black.

"Aang!" Katara shrieked in terror as she witnessed the air bender be struck by the powerful mass of earth. She panicked, her heart racing as she sprinted towards the shore.

Sokka followed up behind her, limping off towards Toph while Katara and Suki raced to help their friend. He saw that the bandit wasn't moving. She stood with her arms frozen at her sides. Her expression was shocked, like she was having a difficult time registering what had just transpired. He placed his hands on her shoulders, shaking her forcefully as he called, "Toph! What were you thinking?"

She didn't so much as blink. Her blind eyes just peered forward lifelessly.

Sokka frowned. He shook her again, more forcefully than before."Toph," he called.

The warrior stopped when he saw her bottom lip begin to quiver. Her shoulders soon followed suit.

He watched more and more recognition come back to her gray eyes.

"I...I put everything I had into that," Toph mumbled almost disbelievingly. Her eyes started to tear as she became less and less numb to the situation."I put...everything I had into that, Sokka," she repeated in a shaky voice with increasing urgency.

His eyes widened as her meaning dawned on him. Sokka turned and bolted immediately towards the pile of earth that had buried Aang. Katara and Suki were digging desperately through the rubble, trying to get to their wounded friend.

_Aang!_ Katara thought frantically.

Her heart was absolutely stricken with fear. She clawed into the dirt madly, her thoughts racing with concern for Aang. So much rock and sand had been utilized in the attack's execution that she expected there was at least five to six feet between her and the trapped monk. The girl couldn't comprehend why Toph employed such a powerful use of bending in a sparring match. Every passing second stretched on agonizingly long and Katara felt herself slipping further and further into a state of despair. Her emotions grew increasingly hectic.

As she, Suki and her brother united in moving the mass of earth, the water bender's emotional fortitude completely faltered. Her heart wrenched painfully with distress. She felt like something was trying to claw out of her chest, and before Katara even knew it...she was sobbing audibly. Tears streaked down her face as she dug. Her fingertips were beginning to become raw, but she didn't care. The pain was nothing to what was going on inside her.

"We have to get it off him." She whispered weakly before repeating in a mumble, "We have to..." Katara looked back at Toph angrily, her visage twisted in anguish as she screamed her name, "Toph!"

The blind bandit was visibly crying. She nodded her head, getting the hint and immediately bended the mound of rubble once the others had distanced themselves. The girl was terrified at what they'd find. It just kept playing over and over in her head. She'd heard the beating of Aang's heart spike for just an instant, and assumed that he was preparing to counter; it was when the beating slowed that she realized something was wrong. By then...it was already to late.

As she bended it all and launched it into the sea, she waited for someone to scream, to clarify her worst fears.

Katara's heart stopped when she saw him. Aang was sprawled lifelessly on his back, his eyes shut tight and his expression blank. Multiple lacerations were inflicted in various places on his body, accompanied by a number of dark-blue bruises that were scattered on his legs and arms. A nasty wound had formed on his chest from where the rock had scrapped away the skin. It was bleeding profusely. Aang's clothing was tattered and torn; it was almost completely shredded by the attack.

Katara stumbled towards him in a daze before collapsing to her knees at his side. She stared at his bloodied face numbly, waiting for some proof of life. Finally, she saw him take a breath. She gasped, leaning over him as she summoned water from the sea and bended it around her hand. She laid her palm softly against Aang's chest, setting to work on healing the most prominent and severe injuries.

Sokka addressed Suki, "Listen, you and I need to go for help." His voice was urgent. "Toph," he started, "you stay here and help Katara take care of Aang."

"She's done a fine enough job of that already," Katara snapped emotionally, glaring daggers at the blind girl and wishing she could see it.

Toph _could_ hear the anger in her voice, however, and her expression saddened as she closed her eyes and tucked her chin against her chest. She didn't try to wipe away the tears that fell. She was ashamed with herself and didn't blame the water bender for hating her.

"Katara!" Sokka glared at his sister sternly before repeating, "This is no time for playing the blame game. Just...focus on Aang!" He turned to Suki. "Come on!" He took her hand, leading her towards the center of the island.

Katara followed her brother's advice. "Toph, tell me how Aang's heart rate is," she demanded harshly.

The blind girl lifted her head. "Weak," she whispered pathetically. "But it's still there."

The fear was pumping through the water bender's veins once more. She bit her lip, struggling to keep herself from breaking down. _Stay with us, Aang,_ she pleaded mentally.

"I'm so sorry," Katara heard Toph sobbing. "I didn't want this to happen."

The indignation that had gripped her suddenly subsided as she realized that the bandit was suffering just as much, if not more, than she was. Toph always maintained such a tough demeanor that it was easy to forget how fragile of a person that she really was. The water bender frowned as she regretted her earlier disposition towards her. "It's okay, Toph. He's going to be fine," she said, trying to sound reassuring, but there was no hiding the fear in her voice "Let's just concentrate on helping him right now."

The blind girl sniffled and nodded, wiping away her tears.

Katara would have traded her life for some water from the Spirit Oasis. Aang was anything but well, still he wasn't as far gone as he'd been when Azula had struck him with lightning. There was no life to be found in the boy then. She recalled how lifeless he looked. Aang even admitted himself that he was gone, but she'd saved him. She had brought him back.

This time, however, there was no spirit water to save the day. If Aang died...there would be no reversing it. She fought back a sob.

_"_Don't you think about going anywhere, Aang," Katara whispered, full cognizant of the odds of him hearing her being low. "I am not letting you leave me. I need you."

It was frightening for her to see firsthand just how much things could change in an instant. Their week of relaxation as they awaited the approaching ceremony had gone up in flames as soon as they arrived. Aang was seriously injured. His recovery would demand more time than one week could allow, which meant that he'd be forced to be absent from Zuko's coronation. She knew it wasn't favorable, but it also wasn't like another war was going to erupt if he didn't show. The new Fire Lord could manage without him.

_Why did this have to happen? _She asked herself mournfully.

Katara had no idea just how much worse things were going to get.


	7. Oddity

**Author's Note: What's going on, everyone? I'm coming at you all with another update, but first I have to discuss a few things. Firstly, I'm very well aware that I have broken my promise of consistency. I had just bragged about it, too! Lol. Well...It's been roughly two days since a chapter was added, but it's not necessarily due to my laziness. While I admit that it DID take me longer to get started on this chapter, I did have a couple of other obligations that demanded my attention. So it was very distracting. I'm not making excuses, but hey...life interferes with things sometimes. Don't fret though! I plan to get right back on track.**

** Secondly, there's something I want to emphasis on in order to avoid any unwanted confusion as this story progress. Moments may come where this fic seems to get borderline angst. Just please keep in mind that this is solely for dramatic effect and is in no way the predominate theme of this story. I simply want to create the right image when you all are reading this. I want you to feel the emotions that I am trying to convey through each individual character, as well as the situation. You know what I'm saying**

** Anyway, I won't drag this out. The bottom line is I only want to accent the fact that nothing is all "sunshine and rainbows", not build upon it. I'm a fan of tragedies as well as happy endings, so trust I'll incorporate both throughout this story. I might not believe in fairy tales, but I do think that they make for the best kind of cliche.**

** So without further delay, here it is! And as always, enjoy!**

Chapter 7 - Oddity

In a desperate effort to treat Aang's injuries, the group had hurriedly transported him to the village. Katara had given her best to heal heal him the best that she could, but the water bender's abilities where limited. Her concern for the boy's life left her aching to do so much more, but she could only go so far.

Fortunately, Sokka and Suki returned rather quickly. They'd managed to locate an elderly doctor named Weiss who had a clinic in town. After they made him privy to their situation, they convinced him to accompany them back to the shore. When he assessed Aang's condition on the scene, the old man recognized several potentially broken bones, the majority of which were ribs. Fortunately, no damage had been done to his spinal column, making him safe to move. They'd placed the unresponsive monk on a stretcher and carried him back to the doctor's clinic.

Roughly an hour had passed since then.

Katara, Sokka, Suki and Toph sat on their knees by the mat Aang rested upon. The water bender was watching the bandaged-up boy's face with a distant expression as Weiss finished another, more thorough diagnostic.

The old man cleared his throat, stroking his gray beard thoughtfully as he sat upright. "Well, I'm afraid I have good news...and bad news for you children," he stated solemnly. "The goods new is: there is no severe damage done to his body. Aside from a fractured forearm, three broken ribs and a slightly dislocated shoulder, there isn't anything I can _see_ more grave."

"And...so what's the bad news?" Sokka asked the question on everyone's mind.

The doctor sighed. "I'm afraid that the reason for his low heart rate goes much deeper than these old eyes can see. There are a number of possibilities, none of which are any more pleasant than the other. Now, kids, I'm not gonna sugar-coat it," he asserted gruffly. "If I had to narrow it down, it'd say it's either due to head trauma or internal bleeding."

Katara lost her breath. She pressed a hand to her chest as she leaned forward, regarding the elderly man with a desperate look. She understood the serious of either one.

"Now hold on!" Weiss waved the girl down, trying to calm her before she could speak. "Let me finish. I'm just making an educated guess here, but there's a problem with _that _too. There are no clear signs of either at this point. I'm not trying to make you all worry over what could potentially be nothing. I just want you young whipper-snappers to recognize the possibility, and brace yourselves for the worst."

Katara's eyes dropped to the floor. The last thing she wanted to do was consider the worst outcome. She didn't even want to acknowledge what was happening, let alone imagine that it could still become more nightmarish than it already was.

"This kid...he's the Avatar, ain't he?" Weiss asked, going off topic.

Sokka nodded. "Yeah."

The old man pinched the bridge of his nose. "Now how does the likes of the Avatar go from dethroning the Fire Lord one day, to being in this shape the next?" He sighed before adding, "It's definitely a freak tragedy if you ask me."

"It's...all my fault," Toph stated glumly. She couldn't forgive herself for what her over-anxiousness had caused. "I'm the one...who did that to him."

"Ya'll said it happened in a sparring match, right?" Weiss inquired, recalling the memory of the brief and hurried summary of the incident that they'd relayed to him. "How is it that the embodiment of the world isn't strong enough to defend himself from a little blind girl?"

"Watch it, geezer!" Sokka jumped to the bandit's defense. The way the old man voiced the question ticked him off. "She just happens to be the best earth bender in the world."

"Sokka!" Katara snapped at him, shutting him up.

Laughter rumbled in Weiss' chest. "Easy. I'm not trying to step on nobody's toes. It's just a difficult thing to get my beard around."

"It was an accident," Katara explained. "Something...happened, and Aang didn't react to Toph's attack."

"Did you all see anything out of the ordinary?"

Toph answered the question. "Yes. Well...technically I didn't _see _anything, but I did _hear _the rhythm of his heartbeat. It spiked for an instant...before taking a sharp drop."

"And this was before the attack connected, correct?"

She nodded.

"Hmm." Weiss' dark eyes settled back on the unconscious boy. "Where there any physical indications that something was off?"

"Yes," Katara responded. "He fell to his knees. His expression seemed so agonized, like something was hurting him. Everything happened so fast, though...that none of us were able to catch anything else."

"This is certainly an odd case indeed." The doctor closed his eyes. "I regret to say that it is a dilemma even my years cannot help solve. I cannot begin to pinpoint the source of his original pain, but I will say that it may have something to do with his current heart rate." He hardened his voice. "Expect the worst, but hope for the best. That's the best advice I can give to you. Now, the little Avatar will be under my care from here on. You are welcome to come and go as please, but I'm going to need some time alone to concentrate."

The water bender interjected nervously, "Um...I was hoping maybe I could stay here with you. I'm a great healer, after all. I might be able to help."

She wanted to remain in close proximity to the unresponsive boy on the floor. Her compassionate nature wouldn't allow her to do anything other than watch over him. The group had always made reference to her motherly disposition; it was just something that was triggered instinctively, as she cared enough about any one life to do her best to save it. Her value for Aang's life, however, was completely different. It was almost unparalleled. Her tendency to worry and fret over his well-being stemmed from something that was rooted deep down inside her. Something that had grown over the course of their numerous escapades together and truly blossomed.

Weiss contemplated the woman's request. He humored the idea with thoughtful eyes, before saying, "So be it then." He rose to his feet. "Far be it from me to turn down the face of a pretty young lady like yourself. If you want to be of assistance so badly, you can go down to the mart and grab some supplies. As for the rest of you, I ask that you please leave...for now. You'll be welcome back in a couple of hours."

Sokka, Suki and Toph nodded in understanding. They stood up and and turned towards the door.

"We'll be back in a while then," Sokka announced over his shoulder, waving his hand through the air as they exited.

Katara watched them leave before turning back to the elderly doctor and addressing him. "So...what all kinds of supplies should I get?" she inquired. Running errands hadn't been what she was necessarily aiming for, but it _would_ ultimately allow her to stay closer to Aang, so she didn't complain.

Weiss answered by swiftly lifting a piece of parchment up to her face. He handed it off to the girl, providing her with a small pouch of copper and silver currency. "Now hurry back quickly if you want to help your friend," he asserted in a suspiciously eager voice.

Katara reviewed the list that he'd presented. Her eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute," she started. "Two heads of cabbage, a bundle of carrots, a pound of potatoes and beef?" She placed a hand on her hip, letting the arm holding the paper fall to her side as she regarded the doctor's back with a disbelieving and irked expression. "You're sending me _grocery _shopping for you?"

"I'm having beef stew tonight one way or the other," Weiss asserted in a gruff voice. "Ain't no half-dead Avatar falling into my lap gonna change that! If you got a problem with it, then I can stop what I'm doing right now and take care of it myself."

The water bender got the message. She frowned, slanting her eyes in an annoyed manner at the elderly doctor's back as she approached the door. "Fine. I'll be back soon."

_The nerve of him! At a critical time like this,_ she thought to herself as she exited the clinic. "How can he be more interested in eating than taking care of the savior of the whole _freaking_ world?" Katara muttered, visibly angry.

_ If ANYTHING happens to Aang while I'm gone...so help me!_

She stormed down the path that lead further into the fancy settlement, stomping towards the market briskly. The girl wanted only to complete the absurd task that she'd been assigned and return to the clinic so she could continue keeping a close eye on Aang. If something went awry, she wanted to be present for it.

___When Aang came to, the young boy found himself in the depths of darkness once again. He stood on the same patch of earth before the bizarre, ridiculously secured door from earlier on. He recollected the vague memory of how that it had mesmerized him. It almost felt as though it was beckoning him towards it during the preceding encounter. Thus far, however, he had yet to feel anything akin to that._

_ The monk allowed his eyes to roam as he surveyed the doors' features once more. He immediately recognized a deep, nasty crack in one of the links of the massive chains that were coiled around it. It appeared to be on the very verge of breaking. In addition, a feeling of foreboding started to grip his spirit. The sensation only strengthened the longer he kept his vision fixated on the monolithic structure that towered in front of him._

_ It was almost like something was trying to warn him..._

_**"Are you still having a hard time seeing, Avatar?"**_

___Aang frowned as the voice echoed sinisterly throughout the infernal nothingness. He looked left and right, making another futile endeavor to obtain a visual on to whom it belonged. "Why did you bring me back here?" he called out. "What do you want?"_

_**"Maybe you should propose that same question to yourself,"**__ it countered._

_ "I want you to stop being vague!" the monk roared in frustration. "I want you to either tell me why you keep calling me here or to just go the hell away!"_

_ It's dark laughter resonated through the emptiness. __**"I am not the one that calls you into your own soul."**_

___Aang fell silent as the words settled in. His visage went blank as he repeated, "My soul?" He peered once again into the darkness. "This...horrible place...is inside me?" the boy asked numbly._

_**"At last...you begin to open your eyes."**_

___The monk struggled with the information. The environment was so...lifeless and cold; it was the complete opposite of what he would envisioned his soul to look like. What he saw around him was unexpected and it disturbed him significantly. He just couldn't believe it._

_ "Why...why is it like this?"_

_**"The more your light shines...the darker your shadow becomes,"**__ the voice riddled._

_ Aang gritted his teeth. "Agh!" he groaned in an infuriated manner. "Just give me a straight answer for once! You say this is my soul. If that's true, then what are you doing in it? Just who the hell ARE YOU?"_

_ This time there came no response. The silence settled in thickly._

_ Aang waited and waited for the voice to speak, but it never did. He was completely alone in the abyssal nightmare. One from which he could not wake, regardless of how greatly he willed himself too. _

_The darkness of his own soul seemed to ensnare him once more._

_ He caught movement out the corner of his eye. He turned back to the large door, his eyes widening as he witnessed a lilac steam begin to leak through the cracks in its structure. It spewed out ceaselessly, amassing in a fog that descended slowly to Aang's level. He watched it begin to creep towards him._

_ The monk's instincts told him that there was danger. Whatever the mist was, he didn't want to be near it. He could sense the evil that it was emitting._

_ Aang started to back away as the violet haze began to cover the distance between them. He felt his left heel slip off the edge of the tiny patch of suspended earth. He looked over his shoulder nervously into the void beneath him. There was no where to go. He turned back to the mist._

_ It was almost upon him._

_ Aang looked desperately for a way out, but there wasn't one to be found. The boy was trapped within his own soul, as ironic as it was. The situation was definitely something he had never, ever expected to find himself in._

_ "Wake up! Wake up!" he repeated to himself desperately, directing every ounce of his concentration to forcing himself back to consciousness. He shut his eyes as the haze rolled over his feet and began to inch its way up the length of his leg. "Wake up! Wake up!"_

_ Aang could feel it twist up his torso. His arms suddenly felt restrained. He became increasingly aware of a numbness in the lower half of his body. Wherever the mist traveled, it stole away any and all feeling; it was like it was disconnecting him from his spiritual form._

_ He struggled to call out, to thrash against it and fight, but it was overwhelming. The monk was completely enveloped by the haze. He could feel it begin to force its way down his throat. He coughed harshly._

_ "W-wake up," Aang managed in a choked voice. He felt suffocated. A deeper darkness began to creep in around the edges of his mind. He felt less and less aware of what was transpiring, like he was slipping into a dream within a dream. "W-wake...up!"_

_ It was fruitless. He would not wake._

_ He collapsed to his knees, clutching helplessly at his chest. Everything became distant. His thoughts grew obscure as things began to fall out of focus. Ultimately, he could only go for so long before it came to the point that he could fight it no longer. The boy let his defenses crumble._

_ He surrendered to the inescapable blackness as the voice came one last time._

_**"I'll be watching, Avatar,"**__it hissed. __**"When your friends turn on you, I...will be here waiting."**_


	8. Idiosyncrasy

**Author's Note: Another update, ladies and gentlemen. It took me two days to get this chapter going, but that's just because there was a lot of different things I wanted it to include. I've done a **_**lot**_** of foreshadowing in this chapter, and I want you all to pay close attention to even what seem to be insignificant details. Note some of the foreshadowing is apparent while some of it is subtle. Other than that, there is not much to discuss! I tried to lengthen this chapter up a bit to make up for the wait. Hope you all approve! Later.**

Chapter 8 - Idiosyncrasy

Katara gripped the soft bag in her arms as she retrieved the last of the items on the old man's list. The teenage girl forced a smile at the clerk behind the stand, voicing her gratitude with a "thank you" before dismissing herself and proceeding back in the direction of the clinic. Her eyes lowered on the ground as she walked. The smiled faded, replaced by a dejected expression that mirrored the perturbation troubling her heart. The tumult was like a gathering storm that feed off her negative thoughts.

The longer the water bender was distanced from Aang, the stronger her paranoia steadily became. Katara couldn't rid herself of it. She could only do her best to keep it suppressed. When her mind was distracted, however, the trepidation would always manifest itself once more. It reared its ugly head in correspondence with the times the water tribe girl unconsciously lowered her defenses. It tormented her. She clutched the bag of groceries to her chest tightly.

Katara reminisced, thinking back to the last three days when everything started to go awry. Aang's overall disposition had dramatically started to change; it was like the death of Ozai triggered some kind of...instability in the boy that pained her to recognize. Aang had always been emotional, but she worried that things had escalated to a point that It was too great a weight for the young boy to bare alone. The problem was: he _wanted _to bare it alone. That had always been the monk's downfall. He had to take the weight of the world and its inhabitants onto his shoulders out of his sense of duty to being the Avatar. He never, ever, under any circumstances, intentionally tried to burden others with his own problems.

Now...Aang was in a critical state. His very life could be hanging on by a thread, and Katara couldn't help but feel like the whole disaster could have been averted...if only Aang had opened completely up to them.

_He just has to be so stubborn,_ Katara commented mentally. _No matter what I say, he refuses to let me In. It's like all the times I've helped him don't mean anything at all! _She gritted her teeth.

_When Aang wakes up...He's going to tell me everything. I'm tired of being left in the dark._

Her thoughts drifted back to their encounter in the cabin.

Katara had come so tormentingly close to making a breakthrough. She'd literally cornered him after a heated argument and somehow managed to turn the whole situation around. After she admitted her feelings for him, the monk opened up...and things were the way they used to be, but at the same time...completely different. The girl didn't mind the change, only that the moment was so short-lived. The worst part was that it left something to be desired. A certain _something _ruined by certain _people _with horrible timing.

Since then, the water bender noticed Aang begin to steadily withdraw into himself. He started to recreate that distance between them, just like before. She wouldn't let him do it again.

Katara stepped the side, avoiding a group of passing noblemen. She received mixed signals as the clinic came into sight. Relief and apprehension settled in simultaneously, and she found herself partial to neither. The girl steeled herself as she approached the small hut.

Once at the entrance, she brushed away the leather flap and stepped inside. Katara held her breath.

Weiss' booming laughter made her stop in the hall.

_What..._ Katara blinked, startled at first. Her visage soon turned angry. _How is Aang supposed to be resting with that all that noise? _She marched forward with heavy footsteps. The girl was through with the doctor's total lack of professionalism. He was a poor excuse of a physician who was right at home with all of the other self-centered, upper-class snobs that populated the island, as far as she was concerned.

_I'm going to give him a piece of my mind,_ she declared vehemently.

Katara stormed into the room, "Listen, you-" her words left her. The girl's body went rigid as she stared forward, dumbfounded by what she saw.

The monk, whom Katara had left not even an hour ago, was conscious. Not only that, he was sitting cross-legged across from Weiss, seemingly carrying on a conversation with him. Both of them had fell completely silent when she entered, looking like deer caught in the headlights, but Katara was too shocked to notice anything but the boy in front of her.

She didn't even fell the bag slip from her arms and fall to the floor, spilling its contents as she whispered, "Aang...?"

"Ah!" the elderly doctor cried in alarm as he watched his goods scatter across the wooden floor, scrambling to gather them up.

Katara didn't pay it any mind.

"Uh...hey, Katara," Aang greeted nervously as he looked upon her. "Welco-"

He was interrupted as the girl threw herself at him suddenly, taking him by surprise. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his chest as she held him affectionately. Aang smiled softly, returning the embrace.

After a brief moment, Katara pulled away. Her eyes roamed his body as she surveyed his features, still in disbelief. She couldn't fathom how his condition could change so drastically in such a brief period of time.

Something started to feel off to her...and she soon noticed why.

"Your injuries!" Katara exclaimed. She gripped his supposedly fractured forearm for emphasis, noticing the bandages had been removed from every single wound that had been inflicted upon him. The damage done by Toph's attack just...mysteriously vanished. There wasn't a trace left. Not even so much as a scar remained. "They're...gone."

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess they are," Aang returned as he looked to the side.

"How?"

He shrugged. "I can't explain it myself, Katara."

The water bender looked to the old man over her shoulder as he collected his food. "Hey!"

Weiss glanced at her with a scowl. "What do you want, you grocery-spilling harpy?" he inquired grumpily.

"What happened? HOW did this happen?"

The doctor stuffed his goods back into the bag on the floor. He picked it up, placing it on a desk to the side. He cleared his throat, dragging out the silence for a good while, before responding, "I'm just that good, kid."

"So _you _healed him?" Katara asked as she stared forward disbelievingly. She couldn't imagine that the irritating geezer was actually _that _powerful of a healer. "Are you a water bender?" she pressed curiously.

"No questions!" He threw his hands up. "I've done my good deed for the day and that's all there is to it. Be grateful that Mr. Avatar here is back on his feet and leave me be, _woman_!"

She wanted to know more, but the girl abandoned the effort for the time being. By whatever random miracle, Aang had made a full recovery, and she was elated. Katara turned back to him. "How do you feel?"

"Fine. Great, as a matter of fact," Aang answered honestly. Physically, he felt spectacular. The boy couldn't recall the last time he was so energized.

Katara didn't know if she bought that. "Aang." Her expression was hard, but her eyes were soft with concern as she leaned towards him. She searched for any signs that might betray otherwise.

"Really, Katara!" the monk returned with a smile. "Stop treating me like I'm a baby or something." He rolled his eyes at her ever-constant concern for his well-being, finding something else to fixate his gaze upon for a moment. Aang was happy to see her, but...it felt like all anybody was doing was worrying about him as of late. It started to irritate him. "I'm the Avatar," he expressed, playing his trump card. "Everyone needs to stop worrying about me so much."

When he looked back at her, noticing Katara's silence, he realized he'd manage to strike a nerve and instantly regretted his words. Angry tears began to swell into her eyes as she rose up to her feet. She clenched her fists, staring down at the boy as she yelled emotionally, "You...stupid, stupid idiot! How can you say something like that after what happened to you? You were half-dead, Aang! It wasn't just a little knock on the head. Your bones were broken, your heart rate was low..." Her voice started to crack. "I thought...I was going to lose you..."

He frowned as guilt racked his spirit. "I'm sorry, Kata-"

Aang was unable to finish his apology because the emotive girl soon turned and hurriedly exited the room. He heard her sobbing as she went down the hall and out of the clinic.

"Ugh!" he moaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose, disgusted with himself. "I'm such a jerk! Why did I say something like that?" He shook his head.

"Don't fret, little Avatar," Weiss advised as he sat by the monk. "I'd say that she's more glad to see you well than angry at you for being a moron." He sipped the hot cup of tea between his hands.

Aang looked at the floor, tracing invisible patterns with the tip of his index finger. "Yeah..." He paused before adding, "Thank you, by the way...for not telling her."

The old man's visage went hard. "I am an honest man, Avatar." Suddenly, the serious demeanor shattered; it was replaced by a look of mischief. "I am also an excellent liar!" He laughed at himself.

The boy chuckled briefly. "I'd say." He smiled at the doctor. "I greatly appreciate you doing that for me. If any one of my friends found out about what happened here...it'd only make them worry even more."

"Can I give you some advice?"

Aang blinked, shrugging his shoulders as he said, "Go for it."

"True friends are people who think you are still a good egg, even _if_ you are slightly cracked," he said, closing his eyes. "The children that were here all care a great deal about you, boy. I saw their faces. There is no doubting the love each one of them has for you...as well as each other. It is that affection that makes a family." He took another sip of his tea. "What I'm trying to say is.. you are an egg that is not rotten. Damaged shells mean only so much, and I have no doubt that they would think the same thing as well."

Aang wanted to remark on just how mistaken he was. The damage went much deeper, deep down into his proverbial _yolk_. He chose to bite his tongue, and instead said, "It's just...something I'll have to work with on my own." He rose to his feet, bowing respectfully to the doctor. "Thank you, Weiss, for your help. I think I'd best go track down Katara." He waved. "Take care!"

"Then let me send you off with one _more _piece of advice," Weiss' grave voice made him stop in his tracks.

The boy looked to the elderly physician over his shoulder.

"Deception is a double-edged blade," he continued. "The longer you continue to wield it, no matter for what reason, the more damage it will inflict not only upon you...but upon those closest to you. One day, you will have to confide in them and stop taking them for granted...or you _will_ lose the very thing that ties you all together."

Aang averted his eyes from the doctor, tucking his chin against his chest. "How can I...?"

"By _not_ lying to _yourself_," Weiss returned. "When you lie to others, even if you believe it to have a purpose, then you, yourself, have become ensnared by that very lie. When you maintain and feed the deception consistently...then before long...you will be devoured by it."

Aang listened closely before he mumbled, "Then why'd you help me?"

"It's a lesson you must learn yourself."

"Well then," the boy began in a low voice, "I guess I'll be going. Thank you, again, sir. You were a great help."

Weiss nodded, watching the monk's back as he began to leave. "Be well, Avatar. If our paths never cross again, I wish you the best of luck."

Aang didn't respond. He simply turned the corner and vanished into the hall. The boy reflected on the wise old man's words. They had somehow managed to get under his skin, and were the source of another great internal conflict he now had to struggle with.

He stepped outside of the clinic.

A wave of relief washed through him as he spotted Katara. She was reclined against the side of the hut, clutching at her left arm and watching the ground with a downhearted countenance. Aang was pleased that she didn't run off too far.

"Katara," he started softly as he approached her, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said back there. I just...don't want to cause problems for anyone." His shoulders sagged. "I love you guys. You all mean so much to me and I feel bad...when I know that all everyone is doing is worrying about me."

Aang waited for her to respond, noting the she had still to act like she acknowledged his presence. She continued to stare a hole into the earth. He could see the moistness on her cheeks from when she'd been crying. It sparkled in the sunlight. He found himself thinking about how beautiful she was...and how idiotic he was for making her upset. She'd only been concerned for him. How could he ever want to shove that away?

"Katara."

She didn't respond.

Aang sighed. He couldn't own up it anything else. "Please..." he breathed. "Forgive me."

After a few seconds that dragged out agonizingly long, he was to the point of getting down on his hands and knees and begging. He didn't want any distance between them. Before he had the opportunity to do so, however, Katara embraced him once again.

"You're such an idiot," she repeated to him softly. Aang noted that she'd been calling him that a lot lately. "Don't you realize how much _we_ love _you_ too?" The girl lifted her head, staring into into his gray eyes with a delicate smile. "Of course we're going to worry, Aang. Me especially," Katara admitted with a laugh as she sniffled, freeing a hand from his waist and rubbing away any remaining liquid in her eyes. "Now that the war is over, your health is always at the top of my list when it comes to things to worry myself to death about. I can't help it, though. You've become a part of my life and...I'm terrified when I imagine a world without you in it."

"Kata-"

"Stop," she silenced him softly, placing a finger to his lips before adding, "Let me finish." Katara inhaled deeply before continuing. "I _know _that your the Avatar. I'm more than aware of how strong and powerful of a bender you are. You can take care of yourself just fine, Aang, but..." she paused, holding his face and looking him in the eyes, "you...are not...immortal." To her, those four words could not be emphasized enough. "You might forget that at times, but I _never _do. Just...try to remember that...for my sake. For _everyone's _sake."

"Okay, Katara," Aang conceded, and he was totally content with doing so. He pulled her closer to him. "I want to spend as many days with you as I can," he whispered. "I'll do everything I'm capable of doing not to endanger that. I am the Avatar, though. There will be times where I have to put my life on the line again."

"I know." The water bender completely relaxed into him. "Just...don't do it any more times than necessary."

Aang smirked. "Now that's a compromise I can live with."

He could feel her heart beat on his chest. He felt it's pace quicken as he started to subtly lean his head towards her. Her warm breath rolled across his neck.

Suddenly, Katara surprised him. In contrast to Aang's slow advance, hers was too swift for him to even catch. Before the monk could register it, Katara had captured his lips with her own, kissing him passionately. When Aang recomposed himself, he returned it just as fiercely. The world became completely distant; it was almost non-existent to them as they embraced and kissed one another in the middle of the street. It felt like a soothingly warm flame had been lit underneath his skin.

Meanwhile, Katara felt the metaphorical "butterflies" fluttering in her stomach. She let herself completely drown in the sensations of delight that their perfervid kiss triggered, sinking into the depths of the moment and not caring if she could ever climb back out. The experience was so much more than the first one they had shared before their raid on the Fire Nation. The uncertainty and confusion on Ember Island was no where to be found.

She had the answer for the boy that she didn't have back then.

"Ahem."

A familiar voice spoke, clearing his throat and pulling the pair out of the magical moment. Katara's heart dropped when she was forced back to the real world. They both opened their eyes and looked at Sokka, who was standing before them with an annoyed expression. His arms were crossed. Suki and Toph stood to the sides of him.

Katara and Aang looked back at each other. They realized simultaneously that they'd yet to pull apart, and quickly did so, putting a considerable distance between each other as they blushed in embarrassment.

"Uh...hi, Sokka," Katara broke the awkward silence hesitantly, looking helplessly at her younger brother. She shrugged her shoulders. "How...is it...going?"

Her older brother sighed. "Okay...there are number of things we need to discuss about this entire situation...but first..." Sokka paused, looking to Aang. He suddenly proceeded to prod him repeatedly repeatedly with his finger, pressing it into the monk's stomach and pushing on the side of his head.

Aang cried out as he finally reached the extent of his patience, "Stop!"

The water tribe warrior didn't back down. He stepped in on the smaller teenager, leaning forward over Aang and forcing him to bend slightly backwards. "How in the hell are you _healed_?" He jabbed a finger in front of the boy's eyes. "You were like...on the verge of death when we left you."

"Yeah, but Weiss fixed me up," Aang lied.

Toph immediately felt his heart rate shift, indicating that he was being anything but truthful. She furrowed her eyebrows, wondering why he was attempting to be deceitful when he was fully cognizant of her exceptionally acute senses. The bandit kept to her silence, however, suspecting that the monk had a reason.

"What?" Sokka pulled back. "That old guy...did this?" He skeptically arched a brow.

"I know," Katara interjected as she rolled her eyes. "I had a hard time believing it too."

"How...?" Suki inquired.

Aang shrugged. "I'm clueless. He wouldn't elaborate."

"Well, whatever the reason, It's good to have you back, Twinkle Toes," Toph spoke to Aang, her glum expression an evident indication of her still present guilt. She heavily blamed herself for his injuries, and was definitely going to apologize to him about it. The timing didn't seem appropriate yet, so intead...she stepped forward and said, "So...I could sense that you two were pretty close. And both of your heartbeats were _crazy _fast. I could hear them from all the way down the block." She gestured with a hand back in the direction they'd come, before nodding towards Katara with a smirk. "You two weren't-"

"Which reminds me!" Sokka started again, interrupting the bandit and advancing on Aang once more. His eyes were hard. "Why were you _kissing_ my sister?"

Toph had the answer to her question. "Ha!" she exclaimed triumphantly. "I knew it! Twinkle Toes and Sugar Queen." She nodded her head approvingly. "Wicked awesome."

Katara defended Aang. "I was kissing _him_ too, Sokka," she said as she laid a hand on her sibling's shoulder. She pulled him gently away from the smaller monk.

He slanted his eyes. "This is...kind of weirding me out."

Toph scoffed. "Seriously? I've seen this coming for a while now...and _I'm_ blind."

"I've been picking up on to it as well." Suki walked up to her boyfriend. "Why did you think we were eavesdropping on them in the cabin in the first place?"

Sokka blinked, crossing his arms and stroking his beardless chin. "Honestly, I didn't think much of it. I figured we were listening for something important, but...this is totally not what I had in mind."

His girlfriend frowned, placing a hand on her hip. "You can't seriously be that clueless."

"Oh, I think he is," Toph remarked, waving her hand through the air.

"Listen, everyone." All eyes were soon on Katara as she spoke. She gripped Aang's hand tightly in her own. "Things have been...developing between me and Aang for a while now, but our relationship didn't really start until just a few days ago. It's still new to us...and we're taking things slow." She addressed her brother. "Which means, Sokka, please do not make things complicated for us."

The water tribe warrior seemed to humor her request for several seconds before conceding with a heavy sigh. "Whatever," he mumbled. "If you have to be with someone, it might as well be the freaking Avatar." He swapped at the air with his hand before asserting to Aang, "Don't think you and I aren't having a little talk about this later, though."

The young monk rubbed the back of his as he nodded.

"So what have you three been out doing?" Katara asked, changing the topic of the group discussion.

"Not much. We've really just wandered around the city for the past hour," Toph answered.

"Yeah, and for some reason, this weird cat keeps following me." Sokka gestured with his thumb over his shoulder towards the creature, who sat on its haunches a couple of feet away. It mewed quietly. Sokka frowned. He turned on the cat suddenly, doing his best to make a frightening face as he hissed at it.

The animal merely tilted its head to the side, regarding him like the moron he was at times.

"I give up," Sokka admitted, exhausted by the day and its events. "Weird recoveries, weird romances, weird _cats_. This whole day is just...officially...weird." He pointed in the direction of Ozai's old summer house, where Appa and Momo had been left. "So...if it's okay with the group, I'd like to relax now. Like we _originally _planned to do."

No one objected.


	9. Deception

**Author's Note: Ah, another update. It's always refreshing for me whenever I manage to get another chapter up. I get this feeling of accomplishment and it's pretty satisfying. It's nothing compared to the satisfaction I get from everyone's reviews, however. Like I said before, feedback gives my writing purposes, and to all of you who support that...right the fuck on.**

** You all got my love.**

Chapter 9 - Deception

The twilit skies darkened with the steady descent of the fiery sun. A thick blackness devoured the tiny island and the encompassing ocean; it was penetrated only by the faint luminance of the stars, the moon...and the fire that flickered in front of Aang's eyes. He stared into it distantly, preoccupied with his own thoughts as Sokka, Suki, Toph and Katara conversed to his left. Momo chirped, perched comfortably up on the monk's shoulder while Appa yawned at his back.

The group had immediately chosen to unwind once they made it back to Ozai's summerhouse. The occurrences of the day were enough to deplete a considerable measure of their energy, leaving them both emotionally and physically fatigued. Aang was particularly exhausted. The parting words exchanged between him and the elderly doctor repeatedly echoed in his head. The memory was like a broken record.

_"Deception is a double-edged blade," _Weiss had warned soberly. _"The longer you continue to wield it, no matter for what reason, the more damage it will inflict not only upon you...but upon those closest to you. One day, you will have to confide in them and stop taking them for granted...or you will lose the very thing that ties you all together." _

He scrunched his eyebrows together. _Is that what I'm doing? Am I taking them granted? _He couldn't help but question the idea. Aang loved them all. He appreciated everything they did for him, but...maybe he was guilty of what the physician suggested. At least in some respect.

Aang dug deeper, remembering back to their conversation prior to Katara's return. It was the one he had elected not to make her, nor anyone else, privy to.

_A scolding heat called Aang back to consciousness. The monk sat up with a strained cry, his body screaming in pain as it burned in an invisible inferno. His vision spun and blurred, forcing him to shut his eyes tightly as he crumbled back to the floor. Aang clutched at his sides, struggling futilely to block out the hurt. It was different from what he'd experienced before. The agony was equally as great, but instead of originating from his chest...it was searing through his entire body._

_ He became faintly aware of hands pressing down on his shoulders._

_ "Hang on, boy," came a voice. "You're going to be okay." _

_ Aang felt a cool, wet rag being laid over his head, yet it did nothing to diminish the inferno that raged under his skin. He unconsciously clutched the stranger's shirt in a tight fist, squeezing as the pain continued to assault him. The boy groaned loudly, forcing open his eyes to identify the person at his side. His vision was still obscure, but for an instant it came to focus, allowing him to see an elderly man he did not recognize kneeling over him._

_ The monk next became aware of the appearance of his outstretched arm. Through the hurt that disoriented him, Aang was able to recognize a disturbing change. The veins that ran like wires under his flesh were black and abnormally protrusive. His eyes drifted to his chest, finding that the irregular condition had set in all over his body._

_ Another powerful wave of pain wrack his consciousness, leaving him teetering once again on the edge of darkness._

_ "Concentrate on your breath, Avatar," he heard the man advise in a collected voice. "Focus on solely on inhaling and exhaling. Nothing else."_

_ Aang wanted to snap at him, to tell the elderly man that such a feat was easier said than done, __but he couldn't muster the strength. "W-where's...Katara?" he instead managed weakly._

_ "Ssh," the doctor shushed him. "Conserve your strength, whipper-snapper. The water tribe girl will be back soon enough."_

_ The monk made no effort to say anything more. If he was to follow the senior's counsel on concentrating, he chose to focus on Katara. He visualized her perfection, tracing the details of her face and body in his mind. The boy recalled the contentment he felt in her presence, how she just seemed to complete him in every aspect. He remembered her scent._

_ He wanted to be close enough to smell her again._

_ Aang unearthed a source of untapped strength within his affection for the water bender. He felt adrenaline course through his body, giving him the energy to begin to struggle back against the pain and pressure that dominated him. The boy fought to regain himself, to find his composure somewhere among the terrible heat and take it back._

_ To his delight, the agony...slowly...began to subside._

_ Aang didn't relent. He continued to push against it, determinedly fighting off the abominable sensation. The heat began to deteriorate. It diminished bit by bit, withering into a flame that grew more and more tolerable. The haze clouding his thoughts slowly dissipated._

_ With a final push and a thunderous cry, Aang tore through a wall in his mind. When he broke it down, he felt like a flood gate had been opened. A comforting coolness washed over the fire inside him, extinguishing the flame wherever it went. The pain subsided._

_ "Oh my spirits," the monk heard the old man breathe out in an astonished voice._

_ He felt several sudden convulsions wrack his frame in various places. He was also distinctly aware of a repetitious popping that accompanied the simultaneous series of spasms. The boy experienced a final jerk before the fit ceased. Any trace of his previous agony was to be found only in memory, as a refreshing power settled into his limbs. His exhaustion, along with the ache in his bones, soon followed the pain into nothingness._

_ Aang sat up successfully. Instantly, he felt the senior's hands on his shoulders once more. This time, the monk shrugged him off. He jumped to his feet, turning to inspect the stranger. His adrenaline was still surging. The feeling made him light...and his senses overly trenchant. He could hear the man's heartbeat. It thudded vociferously in his ears and he was forced to cover them in an effort to drown it out._

_ "Ah!" the boy groaned as he stumbled back, losing his equilibrium and collapsing into a corner. He pulled his knees up to his chest._

_ "Easy." _

_ The unfamiliar elder's words, though meant to be comforting, were excruciatingly painful for him to hear. The volume of the world was almost like it had been turned up. His ears were sensitive to every little sound; it was overwhelming._

_ "You're okay, boy."_

_ "Shut up!" Aang found himself screaming. He regretted the decision immediately as his words echoed like thunder, making him recoil in pain once more._

_ The old stranger maintained his distance and said nothing more, which Aang was appreciative of. The silence in the room was indescribably soothing...and he let himself be drawn into it. The resounding beats of his heart decreased in volume._

_ When the monk felt like his senses had ebbed back into normality, he risked a conversation. "W...what am I doing here?" Aang whispered. To his relief, his words did not assault his ears. There was no present irregularity in sound anymore. "Who...are you?"_

_ "My name is Weiss. I am doctor," the physician explained. "Your friends left you in my care after your accident."_

_ "Accident?" the boy asked. He felt confused at first, as he was unable to remember what the man was talking about. After a moment, however, everything started to come back to him. "I did get __hurt. Toph and I...we were sparring and..." he paused before finishing, "I collapsed."_

_ Weiss stroked his beard. "That was the story they relayed to me," he stated. "Though...none of them knew the reason for your sudden...collapse. A boy with a broken leg, along with his girlfriend, fetched me after the incident. I accompanied them and had you transported here. Every since, I've been attempting to treat your injuries. I see there's no longer any reason for that, however."_

_ "What?" Aang looked up._

_ "Assess yourself, little one," the doctor returned, gesturing towards him with his hand._

_ The boy listened and let his gaze fall upon his body. He saw a multitude of bloodied bandages, yet no pain emanated from the wounds beneath them. He started to peel away the soft fabric that was strapped around his chest, removing the layers and exposing the skin under it. Despite the red that stained the wrapping, Aang saw no injury. He continued to remove the remainder of the bandages, discovering that the case was the same everywhere._

_ He was alarmed and his eyes shot back up to the physician. "There's nothing wrong with me..." he breathed._

_ "Not now, there isn't."_

_ Aang blinked. "How?"_

_ Weiss shook his head with a sigh. "I can't say that I know. During your little episode, the veins that carry your blood seemed to almost...carry something else; it was something darker...and it caused you to writhe in suffering. After a while, your condition seemed to become more stable...and as the blackness retreated from inside of you...your wounds closed as well."_

_ The monk placed a hand against the wall to steady himself as he rose to his feet. "You were...the only who saw that, right...?" he asked hesitantly._

_ "Mhm." Weiss nodded. "I sent your friends away long enough for me to properly evaluate your condition. You had a very low heart rate there for a while, Avatar. All the way up to the point of your fit. Now...could you perhaps enlighten me a little? You must have some idea of what caused all this to happen."_

_ Aang didn't know how to respond. In truth, he had no clue regarding the reason that triggered the recent happenings. He was provided with only a few scattered bits of obscure information from the voice in his dreams...and that was something he did not wish to convey to anyone. Especially not a physician who'd most likely make him a mental patient as opposed to offering some attempted form of treatment. Who could really treat the matters of the soul, after all?_

_ "I'd tell if you I knew myself," he finally answered, only partially lying._

_ "So even you do not know?" Weiss made a face. "This is a complex mystery indeed. Once your friends return, we will inform them on what-"_

_ "No!" Aang yelled out harshly before he could control himself. He cleared his throat, trying to recompose his demeanor as he settled down. "I mean...please. Do not tell them." The monk's eyes were pleading. "They cannot know anything."_

_ The aged doctor was surprised at the outburst, but soon complied with the boy's request. He gave a nod. "Alright then, kid," he said as he stood up. "Could I interest you in some tea?"_

_ "Yes, I'd love some." Aang accepted the offer, eager to quench his thirst. He was pleased that the man didn't argue._

"Right, Aang?"

The memory ended and he was drawn back to the present by the sound of Sokka's voice. The monk looked to the older teenager with a confused visage. He had no idea what the conversation had even been about. "Uh...what?" he asked. He noted that everyone was staring at him.

Katara had the same concerned look in her eye.

_Here I go, making her worry again. _Aang berated himself mentally.

"I was saying how weird it was of that old guy to just heal you like that," Sokka repeated with an incredulously arched eyebrow. He glanced to Suki, who shrugged. "So...are you _positive _you're feeling okay, Aang?" the water tribe warrior inquired, looking back to his friend. "You really seem...out of it."

"I'm just fine, guys," Aang asserted, putting his hands up in front of him and trying to put their worries to rest. "Seriously. I was just thinking about things. You know? It's been a really, really crazy day."

Toph's expression visibly hardened as the rhythmic beating of his heart hitched once more, yet kept to herself as everyone seemed content with the answer he'd given.

Everyone...except Katara. The look in her eyes didn't so much as waver. Aang knew that she was reading him like an open book, picking up on a signal he desperately didn't want her to receive. He figured that she'd suspected something was off, ever since the beginning. The girl was always the first one to see through whatever veil he tried to cast over their faces.

Katara kept to her silence, but did not remove her gaze from Aang.

"Well, if you need _anything,_" Suki began in a soft voice, "we are all here to help."

"That's right. Remember what we told you, Twinkle Toes, you are not alone!" Toph reminded him of their conversation on the airship.

As the group observed of him, they were surprised when Aang's demeanor collapsed into dysphoria. The boy shut his eyes tightly. He knew that the others could only grasp at straws when it came to figuring him out lately. With a heavy sigh, he placed a hand on the ground to steady himself before standing up. The motion was almost uncharacteristically sluggish.

"I know, guys." Aang whispered in a defeated voice as he brushed Momo off his shoulder. "I know.."

He turned and walked towards the shore, seeking refuge from the turmoil that raged inside him. He needed answers to a simple, yet unfathomably intricate question: where did he go from here?

Aang didn't have a clue where to start. He did, however, know the people that might. Despite his still present indignation towards the other Avatars, the monk felt like he was being backed into a corner. So many bizarre and unexplainable things were happening to him in rapid succession. The dawn of one day was accompanied by the dawn of another irregularity. He decided it was time to talk.

The monk found himself at the shoreline soon enough. He stared out across the infinite ocean; it was illuminated in the pale light of the waning crescent moon.

_Here it goes, _he told himself as situated himself on the sand in a meditative posture.

Aang concentrated, letting all other thoughts drift from his mind. Once his head was clear, he sought out the spiritual thread that intersected him and his past lives. The boy called out to Roku and Kyoshi, seeking a response from either of the two. He felt that he had the greatest bond with them, and even though his trust had been betrayed, still held them in higher regard than any of the Avatars that preceded them.

The seconds ticked away, however...and no one answered his call.

He was suddenly overcome with the foreboding sense that something was wrong. No matter how strongly he focused, the monk couldn't seem to break through. It was like some...invisible wall was utterly obstructing his ability to contact his past lives.

_Roku! Kyoshi! _He called out in his mind. _Anyone!_

Still, there came only the sound of the ocean.

Anger started to seize a powerful grip on his soul. Aang gritted his teeth, making a final effort to communicate with the other Avatars before abandoning the endeavor with a cry of rage. "Ah! Forget it then," he roared as he punched the sand. "I'm through with ALL OF YOU!"

He collapsed forward onto his hands, his arms trembling with emotion. _Why..._he wondered pathetically as his fit of rage ebbed into nothingness. _Why won't they answer me?_

A bitterly sad smile tugged on his lips. _I guess that's just how damaged I am._

Roku had told him long ago that in order to find him, all he had to do was look within himself. Now...everywhere he looked...there was only darkness. It was a black abyss as thick and impenetrable as his misshapen soul.

He felt a pair of small arms reach around his torso, pulling him into a body he all too quickly recognized. Aang's eyes teared as he relaxed into her, forfeiting all of the strength he had in his spirit. He just let Katara roll him over, resting his head in her lap. She began to stroke his face affectionately.

Aang refused to open his eyes. The last thing he desired was to see her expression. He was causing everyone so much stress. He felt weak...and that weakness humiliated him like nothing before.

"They won't answer me, Katara..." he mumbled as he laid an arm over his eyes, hiding his face. "They've abandoned me."

The boy felt her hand gently grab his wrist. She pried his arm away. "Look at me, Aang," she ordered in an assertive, yet soft voice.

Aang opened his eyes slowly with apparent reluctance. He forced himself to fix his vision on her beautiful face, finding no trace of the emotion he feared to see. Her visage was firm, yet her eyes shimmered sympathetically. Under the moonlight, she looked so heavenly beautiful.

"They haven't abandoned you. They _are _you," Katara reminded him. "I'm sure there is a good reason."

Aang felt the familiar stir of anger, but he fought it away. "No, Katara," he breathed out. "The Avatars...they've given up on me."

"I know you _don't _believe that."

"Yes...I do."

"Aang, stop-"

"I CAN'T BEND ANYMORE, KATARA!" he finally snapped, letting the secret he'd kept safely guarded come pouring out. He sat up, rising to his feet quickly as he took a couple of steps away. He kept his back turned to her, trying to calm himself. The monk felt so...ill-tempered lately. He breathed in and out, quelling his racing heartbeat. A horrible, nasty feeling settled in his gut.

Katara kept her distance. "What...do you mean?" she asked, stunned at his confession. "How... can you _not_ bend?"

Aang clenched his fists at his sides. "I don't know," he said in a shaky tone. "I...first realized it in my sparring match with Toph." He recalled the memory. "I tried to seek out the energies in the earth...but it was like I couldn't find them. Then...there was this pain."

"The reason you collapsed," Katara said as the pieces started to fall into place.

He nodded his head. "Every since I woke up...It's still the same." Aang's shoulders slumped before he added, "I no longer feel the cosmic energies anymore, Katara."


	10. Hope

Chapter Ten - Hope

"How long has it been, I wonder..."

A raspy, feminine voice thought aloud in the darkness that shrouded the faceless features of her cold, tiny cell. The only source of the light was offered by the dim luminance of one candle, but it flickered far up the stairwell...and did not even come close to reaching past her iron bars. The woman shifted. She was curled up in one of the corner's cell; it was the one place where she could best see the light.

The girl giggled, laughing like someone had told her a joke she found to be very comical. "Calm yourself, Father," she said lightly as she tried to recompose herself. "They're coming. It's taken them an eternity but finally, they're almost here. I-can-feel-them," she added in a sing-song voice.

The woman leaned forward, posturing herself upon her knees as she began a slow, awkward walk towards the bars that imprisoned her. Her wrists were bound in chains behind her back, rending her appendages sore, uncomfortable and immobile. She slumped her shoulders against two of the iron poles, jutting her head through the space between them and reclining into it's frame. Her long, dark hair obscured her face.

"I know that, Father," she suddenly snapped to the silence. Her voice grew angry. "Stop treating me like I'm a child! I know what it is that we need to do!"

Again, she fell quiet. The woman seemed to listen to the eerily silent atmosphere, as if someone who wasn't there was communicating with her.

"Don't be impatient, daddy," the girl suddenly pleaded in a soft voice, her agitated demeanor changing in an instant. "I'll make sure we both have the retribution we so desperately desire." She threw herself forcefully away from the bars, standing up. The stance she assumed was odd and off-balance; it was almost...drunken. "Listen!" she hissed in a whisper. "Do you here that? They're almost here!" Her voice was shaky with excitement.

The woman turned quickly to the orange glow at the top of the staircase. "Don't worry about the guards, Father." As if someone had responded to her statement, her head whipped back towards the wall. She regarded an invisible entity. "We won't have to deal with them if you'll keep your voice down," she hissed.

A devilish smirk tugged at her lips and twisted her visage. "Yes, Daddy, I will make sure he suffers greatly before he dies. I'll make him pray for death," she declared maliciously. "The Avatar will experience an agony a thousand times greater than the shame he brought on us and our nation."

She approached the wall in front of her, watching it with expectant dark eyes; it was like she was waiting for something. "And I won't forget about the water bending harlot," she spat venomously. "I can't wait to incinerate that bitch's body. I'm going to burn her to ash so slowly."

The woman snapped to attention as the section of stone shifted under some kind of disturbance. It rattled strongly, causing the hard floor beneath her to quiver in turn, before the wall came sliding down with a soft rumble. Immediately, the luminance of three torches pervaded the tiny dungeon. Her eyes, weak and custom to darkness, squinted against the brightness that assaulted her eyes.

"Fire Lord Azula," called a masculine voice.

As the woman's vision began to come into focus, she recognized the distinctive attire of the Dai Li. Twelve agents had been deployed to assist in her rescue. They used their exceptional earth bender to forge a tunnel running underground, directly beneath the Fire Nation Capital and right under Zuko's nose.

"It's about time," Azula snapped as she stepped towards the group. "We were becoming impatient."

The leader of the operation bowed in respect, lowering his head as he spoke, "The Dai Li sincerely apologize. Our preparations demanded careful attention, we needed to-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses!" the former Fire Lord snapped. Dark bags had formed under her eyes, suggesting that she had little to no rest since she'd been imprisoned. The woman never looked so diabolical and crazed. She sluggishly moved into the crowd of earth benders who immediately stepped to the side, granting her plenty of room to move. "We're leaving now," she ordered.

"Ma'am!" the Dai Li called simultaneously. Two of the members assumed an identical stance, coordinating their movements in perfect harmony as they bended the section of stone back up, filling the empty space in the prison cell wall. The remainder of the men encircled Azula, holding their torches to illuminate the path as they guarded her protectively.

Azula chuckled. "We need a ship, boys," she announced. "It's time. We're going after the Avatar."

The agent who addressed her previously approached her once again. His expression was concerned. "Fire Lord Azula...are you certain that is wise?"

The unhinged woman turned on the man with an expression of rage. "DO NOT QUESTION ME!" she screamed madly. Her eyes were wild and feral, portraying an animalistic savagery that was foreign to her character.

The member of the Dai Li recoiled, averting his eyes from her terrifying visage and focusing on his feet. He shrunk back, fearing her wrath. Her bipolarity, however, didn't allow the anger to stay present for too long. Her disposition soon became relaxed, her face displaying a disturbing tranquility.

"The time to strike is now," Azula asserted softly as she continued walking. Her eyes were muddled and distant. "Father and I will not wait. We must avenge our disgrace and take back our nation!" Her expression darkened wickedly. "The Avatar must die at all costs."

Some of the Dai Li exchanged worried glances, concerned at the girl's mention of her father. She was speaking as though the reportedly dead Pheonix King was right there with them. They bit their tongues, however, as they had no desire to incur her wrath.

"Where do you suppose he is?" the leader inquired.

"Ember Island."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Oh," Azula started with a knowing look in her wild eyes, "let's just say a voice in my head was kind enough to tell me."

...

"Aang...?"

The monk heard Katara call his name softly, but he did not answer. Instead, he chose to stubbornly persist in keeping his back to her. The maelstrom of trepidation that troubled his soul was so emotionally taxing that he knew his face would betray him. It would reveal to the water bender how anguished he was, and that...Aang didn't want her to see anymore. The shame was becoming increasingly more arduous to withstand each time his vulnerabilities manifested themselves. To some extent, the monk felt like her affection for him was forcing the water bender to take on unnecessary burdens. Her latent tendencies to nurture and shelter governed who she was...and her affectionate nature wouldn't allow her to turn away from an ailing individual.

Pestiferous and nagging feelings of weakness and incompetency began to fester in his soul.

He heard Katara moving towards him from where she stood. Her footsteps were light in the sand and almost inaudible.

"Listen to me, Aang," she asserted from behind him. "What about other types of bending? Air is your natural element, so...certainly you can at least do that much!" The girl was palpably, yet futilely, searching for some shred of hope to light up the darkness of the situation. "There's no way you can just be disconnected from all of the elements like that."

The monk shook his head. He exhaled, his breath heavy with emotional fatigue. "No, Katara," he stated with a low and downhearted tone. He threw his left arm through the air, making an effort to bend the said element. Again, the energies did not respond to him. He could only demonstrate and emphasize the futility of the endeavor with the ignominy of his failure. "I can't bend anything now. Nothing at all.I truly am a disgrace."

Aang felt Katara's arms slip around his mid-section. He stiffened against her as she embraced him tightly from behind. The girl pulled him into her, snuggling the side of her face into the bare muscles on his back.

"Don't say things like like that," she asserted strongly. "You are not a disgrace. You saved the world."

Aang grimaced, visibly recoiling from the discomfort that accompanied the subject; it was a raw and sensitive wound. He had no pride in the accomplishment. The final battle between him and Ozai forced the sacrifice of two things the boy was unwilling to pay: life...and purity. The world's salvation was as tainted as the war that had threatened it with destruction. Killing was answered with more killing.

The "victory" left sensations of disgust and self-loathing that cut him like dull blades. He wondered how could he ever perceive the deed as a positive thing, especially when all the memory made him feel was more hurt.

"You know I didn't do anything," the monk returned. "The Avatars took a life for the sake of preserving the balance." His words were laced with an underlying tone of disgust. "The only part I played in it was being their tool. Now that they don't need me anymore...they've discarded me completely."

Katara's expression saddened as she listened to his words. She loathed that the boy was forced to suffer so much. The spirited, innocent youth that he'd been only a mere year ago was nothing but a memory. The old proverbs told that innocence was the difference between a boy and a man. It's application never seemed so appropriate to her. Somewhere, deep down...she started to find herself developing a frustration towards the other Avatars. The girl was feeling suddenly opposed to their decision to force Aang to kill Ozai, questioning their supposedly "profound wisdom". The girl knew, however, that she couldn't think like that. She surmised that was where Aang had gone awry. The last thing she wanted to do was become more fuel for his fire.

Instinct dictated her next action. Katara pulled the unsuspecting monk off-balance, positioning her left foot behind his right and tripping him successfully. The boy landed in the soft sand with a startled expression, obviously not knowing what to make of the situation as he looked at her inquisitively. Katara lowered herself onto him, straddling his torso. She leaned forward, placing her hands onto his chest and staring intently into his gray eyes.

"What's your name?" the water bender asked in a gentle yet demanding tone.

"Um...what are you doing, Katara?" Aang inquired instead, his expression confused.

Katara surprised him even more when her lips suddenly came crashing down onto his own. The kiss was electrifying and sent jolts of adrenaline pumping through his veins. He was so taken off-guard that the boy couldn't even return it. The sensation was stupifying. Just as swiftly as it came, however, it was gone. Katara pulled away, tucking a rogue bang behind her ear as she peered back down into the monk's eyes with the same intensity.

"What's...your...name?" she repeated slowly, hardening her eyes.

"Uh," the Avatar started, still disoriented. He was practically drooling on himself as he recovered from the heated experience. "Aang...?"

The water bender didn't stop. "Who are you?"

Aang shifted underneath her, partially pulling himself out of his daze. "I just told you," he reminded her.

Once again, Katara ignited an invisible fire inside of him as her lips captured his own a second time. She pressed even harder into him, deepening the display of affection as she gripped the sides of his face and passionately moved her lips against his. Aang was more prepared and recomposed himself enough to eagerly return the kiss with as much vigor and emotion as he could muster. His best felt miniscule in comparison to Katara's.

Before long, she broke away.

"Who are you?" the water bender repeated again.

"The...last...air-bender?" His uncertain answer was denied as the girl straddling him shook her head.

"Besides that, Aang," Katara remarked.

The monk began to see the direction that she was going in. His feelings of negativity slowly started to creep back into the corners of his soul. He looked away. "This isn't going to help, Katara," he stated in a monotone voice.

It still wasn't enough to dissuade her.

"Answer the question, Aang!"

He clinched his fists, growing increasingly agitated. "Fine," he finally snapped. "I'm the Avatar!"

Katara was satisfied, but not finished. She leaned down, drawing her face in close to his. "Exactly, Aang," she whispered. The seriousness in her eyes was still present, but there was a softness to be found as well. "You are the Avatar. The Avatar is you. All of them are, remember? They don't just come and go as they please. They are always inside your soul."

"You don't know anything about my soul!" Aang cried out as the memories of the horrible black abyss resurfaced in his mind. He caught himself, however, and immediately covered his slip up by saying, "I know who I am. I know what my duty is. This goes beyond some mere identity issue! The Avatars aren't answering me. I can't bend! What do you want from me?"

"I don't want you to give up hope, Aang," Katara returned strongly. His outburst didn't faze her. "Do you remember that time we escorted that family across the Serpent's Pass? You were so emotionally distraught over losing Appa that you got to the point where you weren't letting yourself feeling anything at all. You were putting up walls. You were giving up hope, Aang, and I know that's what you're trying to do now." She hardened her voice. "Hope is what we make of it. So long that we don't give up, there's always a chance for a better tomorrow."

Katara reached down and gripped his left wrist, lifting his arm and placing his hand against her chest. "Feel my heartbeat?" she asked after a brief second. "Right now, It's longing for that better tomorrow. Things aren't easy, I get that. It's painfully clear to me how much you're hurting inside, but don't give up hope. I don't ever want you to give in to despair!"

Aang softly laughed with a touch of bitterness. "So what am I supposed to do then?" he asked, rolling his eyes. "Act like everything is just fine?"

"No. I'm not saying that." Katara shook her head. " No matter how dark things get...and no matter how far apart we might be...I don't ever want you to stop hoping, Aang. I want you to hope...even if it's only for a future with me." She bit her bottom lip, seeming to hesitate before adding in a whisper, "You do want...to be with me, don't you?"

The girl's question was crippled with delicacy, found upon a fragile apprehension that made every word she spoke seem weak and unstable; it was all it took to make Aang's heart wrench.

"I want to be with you forever, Katara," he answered her. He mustered as much passion and honesty as he could, staring up into her brilliant blue eyes with undisguised adoration.

The words had a visible effect on the woman. His truthful response sent a tingly feeling shooting through Katara's insides. She could herself blushing heavily, but suspected that the boy couldn't see it in the moonlight. "Then...will you promise me?" she asked hopefully.

Aang sighed. His feelings for the girl were indescribably powerful. The depths of his passion would be something he could never properly express, but he swore that he'd spend everyday he could trying. He didn't want to imagine a future without her. She was everything to him.

"Alright, Katara. You win," Aang conceded. His negativity was still present, but the water bender provided him with enough emotional strength to better suppress it. He noted mentally that while she was sometimes his source of power...she could also be his kryptonite. "I promise."

He smiled faintly before adding, "I'll hope for a future with you."

Katara's visage radiated with joyfulness. Her eyes teared, touched by their heart-to-heart experience...but even more moved by the emotion in the words they'd spoken. She thought of how their relationship was like something derived from a fairy tale. As unexpected as it was, she found herself thanking the spirits that Aang was her proverbial "knight-in-shining-armor". Katara couldn't help but think that no one was more deserving, or befitting, of the role itself.

"I'm glad we've reached an agreement," she spoke in a playful whisper, "Mr. Avatar."

Aang didn't have the chance to respond before he felt her lips pressing against his own. The kiss didn't have the same urgency as the others they'd recently shared; it was slow...sweet...and loving. Whereas Katara had been trying to drive a point home before...the only thing she was trying to convey this time was how much she cared for him. The monk answered her passion with his own, synchronizing the movement of his lips with hers as she pressed into him. A state of utter blissfulness seized him.

Suddenly, things didn't seem quite so bad.


	11. Truth

**Author's Note: Alright, people! I'm finally starting to get to the "good stuff". I've got an ample amount of ideas that I think everyone is going to approve of, but I had to get one last "filler" out of the way. This chapter is THAT said filler. I spiced it up the best that I could, accenting it with some humor and a little touching scene with Toph and Aang towards the end of the chapter. My next update, though, is going to quite possibly be the best installment thus far. It's really going to set things in motion, so look forward to it!**

Chapter 11- Truth

"Separate bedrooms!"

Sokka's voice resonated throughout the spacious summerhouse as he made his demand thunderously. He had cornered Aang and Katara in one of the hallways of Ozai's mansion shortly after the group decided to retire for the night. He put himself between the two, separating them and truly displaying the characteristics of typical "big-brother" behavior. He was naturally protective of Katara and her well-being; it was a trait that Aang respected...yet couldn't help but find unnecessary.

He and the water bender had shared the same room in the past, after all.

"What are you doing, Sokka?" Katara inquired with an annoyed countenance as she rolled her eyes. She felt just as the monk did on the matter and was equally irked by her brother's attitude.

The warrior frowned, looking to Aang out of the corner of his eye with undisguised suspicion. "Just making sure you two keep boundaries," he stated, furrowing his brows. "You're _my _little sister." He jabbed his thumb towards his chest for emphasis. "So it's my job to make sure you guys take things at a reasonable pace."

"You and _Suki _aresharing the same room," Katara pointed out, arching a brow at her brother's hypocrisy as she folded her arms.

"Uh...well...uh." Sokka stumbled over his words, finding it difficult to compile a winning argument. "T-that's different!" he finally declared, obviously flustered. "Suki and I are mature adults! We both know what we're doing."

Katara didn't buy into his reasoning In the slightest. She stifled a laugh, biting down the impulse to comment on his supposed maturity. "Oh _really?_" she drawled. "So Aang and I don't?"

"No! You don't!"

She threw her hands up in an exasperated manner, sighing heavily. "Just what do you think we're going to do?" the water bender inquired with a touch of irritation as Sokka's delusionx of self-righteousness continued to literally divide her and Aang. She knew, of course, but didn't want to voice it aloud herself. The subject was...uncomfortable to her and something the girl had never honestly contemplated...about Aang, anyway. Katara wasn't the type to succumb to perverted impulses and she seldom indulged in lewd fantasies. Admittedly, the girl had let her thoughts run away with her on very _rare_ occasions, but even in her mind...things never escalated beyond a certain point.

"Y-you...you know!" Sokka was once again at a loss for words. He suddenly looked as uncomfortable as Katara felt."_Things,"_ he hissed as he hunched his shoulders, reluctant to provide any further detail that extended beyond a few syllables. "Naughtiness!"

Realization suddenly dawned on Aang's face. He flushed heavily, staring down at his feet. He acted like they were the most interesting thing in the world.

_I...hadn't thought about that,_ the monk told himself.

The boy had definitely permitted himself to be entranced by Katara's perfection on more than one occasion, but honestly...he never envisioned her for the sake of satisfying some twisted perversion. Aang's tutelage under the air nomads had taught him respect in all forms...and he never tried to picture Katara inappropriately. Then again, the...subject of doing _that _with her had never really come to mind. In the past, Katara was just a heavenly embodiment to him. She was a source of comfort and stability that he often turned to for release, especially in his darkest times. Considering their relationship had developed into something more, however...denying those "perverted" images...seemed significantly more arduous to him; it was like Sokka implanted a bomb in his head and it just kept going off and going off.

His sudden subconscious visualizations of Katara being "nude" were not only abrupt...but increasingly more uncontrollable.

He looked up, staring at the water bender over Sokka's shoulder.

Katara caught the neigh drunken disorientation within Aang's gray hues. As though the girl could read the thoughts crossing the monk's mind, her eyes went wide and a dark, heavy blush painted her cheeks. Immediately, her gaze fixed on the floor, focusing on anything _but _the heated daze that was mirrored through his stormy eyes.

Sokka's perceptive keenness manifested itself, as per usual, during the oddest of times. His eyes slanted as he tossed his head side to side, looking back and forth between the couple. His gaze eventually rested on Katara as he stepped up to her, throwing his hands into the air.

"You see?" he yelled. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. It's already started!" He jabbed a finger into Katara's chest before whispering, "_Naughtiness_!"

"J-just...stop this right NOW, Sokka," the water tribe woman snapped, her embarrassment leaving her discomposed and increasingly flustered. Katara brushed his hand away, recoiling back alongside the wall as if she'd been struck. The atmosphere was becoming unbearably awkward. Her brother's attempts to lecture them on keeping "boundaries" was by far the most nightmarish and uncomfortable situation the bender had ever found herself in.

She didn't dare steal another glance at Aang, as the vivid memory of his expression made her insides burn with a sensation that she couldn't quite identify; it was new and alien to her, leaving the girl confused and slightly frightened.

"I _will_ once you two agree to sleep in separate rooms!" Sokka was brassbound in guaranteeing that they didn't succumb to the foreign, sexual urges that typically manifested in adolescents. He reasoned that the most practical method would be to remove them from the situation entirely. He was denying the pair the opportunity to commit anything they'd regret by ensuring they didn't have enough time alone to do so. Only, at the very least, until they were a little older.

Aang's was his biggest concern, which was ironic given that he was the Avatar...and a far-cry from some lewd monster campaigning to deprive his sister of her purity.

"Umm...Sokka?" the monk interjected weakly, raising his hand.

The warrior turned on him with a swiftness that made Aang shrink back in surprise.

"What do you want, air boy?" Sokka asked with a glare.

"Well, I understand where you're coming from," Aang started slowly, "but...you can trust me when I say that I care for your sister enough NOT to try what your implying." He glanced back to the water bender, who simultaneously allowed herself to steal a glance back at him. She watched him intently, holding on to her mother's necklace like she so often did. "We're both too young. The monk's taught me to value the purity of the body and to treasure it like it his your dearest gift, and I value hers' just as much." He rubbed the back of his head. "What I'm trying to say is...I care for her enough not to even consider something like that until we get older."

The boy's words seemed to placate Sokka, but only to a certain extreme. The wariness was still present. Aang knew they were fighting a losing battle.

"No go," the warrior stated after a brief pause. He was putting his foot down. "I'll be totally more comfortable knowing you two are In separate rooms."

Katara had enough. She stepped up to her sibling, her eyes hardening as she frowned in an irritated fashion. "That's it, Sok-"

"It's okay, Katara."

The water bender stopped as Aang cut her off. She relaxed a little, backing away from her brother and looking to the monk with a slightly confused expression. "You're...fine with this, Aang?"

He nodded with a forced smile. The boy would feel significantly more at ease with her sleeping at his side, but he respected where Sokka was coming from. If it was such a concern to him, then Aang wouldn't argue against it. He surmised that it'd simply require a little time for him to adjust to his and Katara's open relationship. "If Sokka feels this strongly about it, then the most respectable decision would be to just do as he asks."

"Right!" the water tribe warrior exclaimed with a triumphant grin. He folded his arms, nodding his head. "That's _exactly_ what I like to hear."

Katara directed a scowl towards her brother, conveying all the distaste and loathing that she could muster before turning back to Aang. The girl was surprised to find herself feeling discontent and opposed to the choice. She was disappointed that she wouldn't be able to sleep by his side. Nevertheless, Katara wouldn't voice her thoughts. "If you think that's what's best, then...alright," she conceded.

Aang was able to descry the telltale hints of dejection that accented the woman's ravishing visage, commiserating with her unspoken, yet blatant feelings on the matter. He smiled, enveloping her in his arms in an affectionate embrace which Katara strongly returned. His lips pressed to the side of her head as he inhaled her scent appreciatively, savoring her warmth for the brevity of a few seconds before pulling away. The monk gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

"I'll see you in the morning," he stated with a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You can sleep in the opposite room, so I'm just right across the hall if you need me."

Katara nodded, her countenance mildly brightening. "Okay, Aang." She leaned forward, subconsciously making the motion plant her lips upon his own in a "good night" kiss. The girl caught herself, however, when Aang stepped back, gesturing with his eyes in her sibling's direction. Being reminded of his looming presence, Katara backed down. She cast a malicious glare to her brother as she turned to her bedroom door, withholding the compulsion to vent her agitation.

"What happened to not making things complicated, Sokka?" Katara hissed instead, subtly expressing her indignation while not pressing the front lines of another argument. She had specifically told him not to exacerbate her and Aang's relationship, but he was doing so regardless. With a final look back to the monk, the bender placed her hand on the knob and opened the door, closing it behind her when she entered the chamber.

Sokka shook his head. "Jeez..." he moaned. "I hate to say it, but you're the only one acting mature about this, Aang." He turned his head to the monk.

"She understands." Aang faced the door to his bedroom. "Everyone is going to need some time to get used to Katara and I being together, even the two of us ourselves." He offered a somewhat forced smile over his shoulder to the warrior. "Well, goodnight, Sokka! I'll see you in the morning."

Sokka left the monk with a final warning. "No funny business tonight, Aang, and I mean it. If you guys want to earn my trust _as well_ as my complete approval, you're going to have to play by my rules for a little while." Despite his approach, he wasn't campaigning to be the "asshole" or proverbial "villain" in the situation. Underneath his usual goofy demeanor was a man with a respectable set of principles, and in the end...he really only wanted what was best for his sister _and _his friend.

"Understood," the monk returned. "I promise you there will be no funny business."

"We'll see what happens," Sokka said as he about faced and proceeded down the hall towards the room where Suki waited for him. "Later, Aang."

The Avatar watched his companion step out of view as he rounded a corner.

Aang sighed, turning back to his door. With a suddenly downcast expression, he entered his bedroom.

The boy was honestly apprehensive about spending the night alone. He felt a significantly greater degree of vulnerability when he was by lonesome. Everything only seemed to worsen in the absence of Katara's presence. He navigated through the darkness of the room and felt out the frame of the bed. He situated himself on the soft mattress, lying on his back and letting himself relax into it as he folded his arms behind his head.

Aang didn't intend to even attempt falling asleep. Rest was the very last thing on his mind and he was fearful that slumber would simply pull him into another nightmare. He was tormented by the enigmatic voice and its equally cryptic words; it was something he still couldn't bring himself to speak of. Confiding in Katara had considerably lessened the weight on the boy's shoulders, but he was certain there was no way he could make her privy to _every _detail. He still needed to better comprehend what was transpiring inside him.

As Aang allowed himself to be drawn into his thoughts, he didn't acknowledge the door opening to his left. When it was shut, the noise pulled him back to the world. He looked over, endeavoring to pierce the thick blanket of darkness and identify the person; it was a fruitless attempt, however, as he could make out nothing.

"Katara?" he called uncertainly. "Is that you?"

"Nope."

The monk recognized Toph's voice immediately.

"Oh, hi...Toph," he said in a low voice.

"Gee, you sound so ecstatic to see me, Twinkletoes," she remarked sarcastically as she shuffled through the room, moving closer to the bed. She sat down at the end of the mattress, situating herself by the monk's feet.

"Sorry," Aang apologized. "It's just been an exhausting day."

"That's...kind of what I'm here to talk to you about."

At that, Aang sat up attentively, reclining against the headboard. He was exhausted, but he figured one more "talk" wouldn't necessarily be the death of him. He couldn't just disrespect Toph by having her leave either, as he knew the physical repercussions such a decision would reap. He had no desire to be pummeled by the bandit twice in one day. "Go for it."

"Well..." Toph started slowly, "for starters..."

The monk was surprised when he felt her throw herself at him. Her arms found his neck and pulled him into a firm embrace. "I'm sorry for hurting you, Aang," she whispered softly. He could feel her tears trickling down onto his bare shoulders.

Aang's heart warmed as he returned the hug, smiling into the girl's neck. "It's okay, Toph. I'm all better now."

"But you're not," Toph contradicted in a matter-of-fact voice as she pulled away. "I know there's something wrong with you, Twinkletoes. You and Katara may be able to fool the others, but these blind eyes see more than you two give them credit for."

"What are you talking ab-"

"I _know _you've been trying to deceive to us, Aang." The bandit's voice was gentle yet assertive. "Did you forget that I'm a human lie detector? I know when you're not telling the truth and I've kept my mouth shut until now, but no more." She laid a hand on his knee before continuing in a pleading voice, "Please, Aang, tell me what has you so _freaked _out."

The youthful Avatar wanted to hit himself. He'd been so entangled in all the confusion that he'd disregarded Toph's finely developed ability to feel his heartbeat. He was pleased that she'd not called him out in front of everyone, but nevertheless...he wished he hadn't been so forgetful. He loathed being caught off-guard.

"I...can't..." he finally sighed after a prolonged silence.

"Why the hell not?" the bandit returned.

"It's just...complicated."

Toph wasn't satisfied. The girl had no intention of leaving with an answer like that and was insulted that he'd even try to pass it off as being acceptable. "That's not good enough, airhead!"

Aang gritted his teeth, biting back his agitation. "Please, just leave it alone," he begged, hoping that she'd back down, but he knew better.

"I'm not going to just _leave _it alone! Either you spill the beans or I swear I'm going to go let the others in on this."

"I don't know enough to tell you anything," the monk spat. He was frustrated that she'd backed him into a corner, but he was even more irate over the fact that his own negligence had been what allowed her do so in the first place. In the end, he really only had himself to blame. That knowing, however, didn't alter his disposition. "I'm struggling with something that is completely beyond my comprehension. You want honesty? I'm scared. I'm terrified because I'm helpless. I can't do anything to stop what's happening and it's driving me crazy."

He allowed himself a second to recompose himself, taking a deep breath. "Toph...there are some things that I just need to keep to myself," he continued after a brief pause. "I know that's not what you want to hear, but...please...don't press this. I promise I'll tell you and the others everything once I understand it better."

The atmosphere grew quiscent with Toph's silence, which she eventually shattered as she spoke,"I'm assuming Katara knows?" Her voice was considerably calmer.

"Not everything," Aang stated weakly. "I've told her a few things but..."

"You skipped the really important stuff," she finished for him. The blind bandit audibly sighed. "Well, Twinkletoes, if you're this strongly against it...then I'll step down, BUT," she paused, poking the air bender's sternum, "if I feel like things are getting out of hand, I _will_ rat you out."

"Thank you, Toph..."

"Whatever. Just be glad I feel bad about beating you half to death."

He laughed happily, letting his shoulders slump in relief as he felt her weigh lift off the mattress. He listened to her footsteps as she walked across the wooden floor, stepping towards the door. "Get some sleep, Aang."

"I plan on it."

"Are you becoming a compulsive liar or something?" she called back, making the Avatar flinch as she caught him in the act once again. "Forget it. Later, Twinkletoes."

She opened the door, disappearing into the hallway as she shut it behind her. Aang was left alone...and found himself suddenly appreciating it. He had more time to think, at least. If Toph hadn't defied his expectations and backed down as he requested, the boy would've been out of options. No other alternative would've remained other than to come clean, but fortune smiled on him...and he wasn't forced to share his secrets.

He would eventually, however...and that fact he was becoming increasingly more aware of; it was looming over him like a shadow. Somehow, he knew that day would come sooner than he hoped it would.


	12. Animal

Chapter 12 - Animal

Aang was awoken by a sensation on the tip of his nose; it was a feathery feeling that tickled his skin. Disoriented by slumber, the young monk thought nothing of it and simply rubbed the back of his hand down his nose, trying to wipe the annoyance away. When the tickling stopped, he started to relax back into the soothing comfort of the mattress, feeling sleep beckoning to him. Before the boy could surrender to the bliss, however, the sensation returned. He frowned, furrowing his eyebrows as he grew irritated. Aang was still too tired to open his eyes to investigate, so he merely repeated the same action as before and swiped his nose. He added a little bit more force to hopefully catch and eliminate the culprit. Again...the pestiferous feeling ceased.

The monk exhaled heavily, endeavoring to slip into the release of unconsciousness once more. The night had gone considerably smoother than he had expected. His fears of finding himself within another nightmare made the process of getting to "sleep" arduous, yet rewarding. Not only did he not experience another odd dream, but his fatigued body felt partially re-energized. He figured just another hour or so would be sufficient enough to put him back at peak performance.

As Aang's thoughts started to become obscure and distant, he felt the sensation return with a vengeance. Vexed by the feeling and its persistent harassment, the monk sought retribution through blood and violently smacked at it. The boy realized his mistake in not thinking the attack plan out when his palm came smashing into his nose. The hurt made his mind snap to attention. He faintly heard a soft gasp, but he couldn't investigate at the time. His eyes were tearing in response to the fiery pain that pulsed through his nose.

"Gah," Aang groaned as he cradled his afflicted body part, lurching upright. He cast the sheets forcefully from his body, discarding them to the side like they were his most hated enemy.

"Aang! Are you okay?"

He immediately recognized Katara's voice. The boy became mentally coherent enough to feel her added weight on the mattress as she shifted towards him. He felt her slide an arm around the back of his neck, pulling him into her warm body. The pain started to dull to a persistent throbbing, enabling him to open his eyes once he rubbed away the liquid in them.

"Yeah!" Aang answered with a laugh as he grinned, caressing his nose. He shook off the lingering fatigue leftover from his slumber, fixing his gaze on the beautiful water bender beside him. "Good morning."

Katara smiled back at him, her features accented by the heavenly glow of the morning sun that poured in through the window. "Good morning to you too, sleepyhead," she returned. The girl reached up, wrapping her fingers around his wrist and gently pulling the monk's hand away. She inspected the damage. His nose was red and a little puffy, but it wasn't bleeding. She'd elected to tickle it in order to awaken him, as he'd obviously been in a deep slumber, but hadn't foreseen his reaction. It had definitely taken her by surprise when he smacked himself in the face.

"I guess you're the attacker, huh?" the Avatar asked jokingly as he lowered his hand, his smile widening.

"Guilty," Katara confessed. The boy's grin made her heart warm. "Though...you kind of attacked yourself, you know."

Aang rubbed at the back of his head. "Yeah. No doubt about that." He pinched his nose, noting that the pain had almost completely ebbed into nothingness. "It's a good thing I don't have very heavy hands or I could have broken something." They shared a moment of laughter together.

The water bender recomposed herself, stifling her giggles as she bit down on her lower lip.

Aang noticed how she seemed thoughtful..like she was heavily contemplating something. She was watching the monk with a sudden intent that he witnessed give way to rascality. Her smile twisted in a devilish fashion.

"But I guess I had some part to play," Katara added in a slow, sultry voice that made the boy's skin crawl with goosebumps. "Here...I'll make it all better." The girl's eyes fixated on the tip of his nose as she leaned forward, moving to bless it with a wet kiss.

Before the girl's succulent lips could even touch it, however, Aang altered the angle of his head. Her lips found his own instead. The monk pressed into her passionately, taking the water-bender by surprise. He overwhelmed her, causing the girl to lose position and balance. She fell on her back, curling her arms around his neck instinctively. As the initial shock began to abate, Katara found herself loving his new-found boldness and intensity. She smiled against his fierce kiss before returning it just as strongly, summoning as much affection as she could. The girl let herself get lost In the sea of ecstasy that their passionate exchange created as the monk's mouth moved hungrily against her.

Minutes ticked by...but the couple was too deep in the moment to acknowledge the time. The only thing in existence was the two of them and the rawness of their heated emotions. Katara soon, however, started to find herself breathless. The exchange was pulling the oxygen out of her lungs...and even through her mind was dazed and disoriented by the electrifying kiss...she knew she was reaching her limits. Almost like he sensed it, Aang gently broke away. He pulled back, positioning his hands and lifting himself up off of her. He didn't get up, but simply stared down at her with a flushed visage and impassioned eyes.

"What..." Katara started as she caught her breath, panting softly, "was...that for?" Her whole body felt it was on fire as she smiled up at him.

The monk shrugged. "I don't know," he answered honestly. The action was impulsive; it was like his body simply...went with it. "I guess you're just starting to have that effect on me."

"Oh _am _I now?" She asked with a dark blush adorning her already painted cheeks. She uncurled on her arms from his neck, tenderly stroking the side of his face with her fingertips before continuing in a meaningful voice, "If that's true...then I like it."

Aang grinned. "I like it that you like it."

Katara playfully rolled her eyes. "You're so goofy," she commented, smiling up at him. The girl's eyes started to drift across his bare torso. He'd not had any additional clothing since almost of all his attire had been demolished during his training session with Toph. Only his pants were kept in tact, though even they were partially tattered and torn. She unconsciously began tracing the detailed musculature of his abdomen. The muscle had become considerably more chiseled and defined over the last year and it was the first time she found herself really paying it any mind. When she realized she'd been staring, however, she looked back up into Aang's eyes and recovered by saying, "We need to go into town and get you some new clothes."

Aang looked himself over. "Yeah, I could definitely stand some," he remarked. As he observed his clothing, or lack of it, the monk also acknowledged his and Katara's position. He was settled on his knees, nestled deeply between her legs. Her thighs were spread apart and accommodating to his presence. Aang flustered as lifted himself up and scooted closer to the wall. What bothered him the most wasn't the awkwardness of the position, but the fact that it excited him. He felt an unfamiliar stirring deep within him that made him think maybe Sokka had a right to be worried. His passion for Katara was becoming stronger by the day. What would happen if he wasn't able to hold himself back? Not wanting to worry the woman with his silence, he recomposed himself and asked, "So, how about we go?"

"Sure," she agreed as she sat up, smoothing out the crinkles in her shirt. She placed her feet on the wooden floor, lifting herself from the bed and standing upright.

Aang followed suit. As they both proceeded towards the door, he felt a growing urgency that he couldn't explain. The chain-reaction of tragic anomalies that had been triggered upon his defeat of Ozai came bursting forth from memory and he was plagued by a strange sense of foreboding. Without thinking, he shot his hand out, snagging up Katara's wrist and pulling her to a gentle halt.

The water bender looked back at him, her expression perplexed. "Aang?" She noted the heavy seriousness in his eyes that seem to darken his visage. "What's wrong?"

"Katara," Aang whispered with a hesitant voice, "I..."

She waited expectantly, worried and unsettled by his change in demeanor. "What is it?" she asked softly, almost afraid to propose the question out of fear of a grim answer.

His features grew conflicted as he continued, "You...know...how much I care about you, right?"

The question threw her off even more. The girl tilted her head to the side, finding herself significantly more confused. "Of course I do. Why...?"'

"It's nothing...just...I don't ever want you to forget how much you mean to me," Aang said. His eyes mirrored the dejection and turmoil that afflicted his spirit. "You're the most amazing person I've ever met...and I'm honored to be with someone so perfect. I couldn't see myself being with anyone but you." He smiled sadly. "You're all I could ever want."

Katara was touched by his words, but a disturbing chill ran down her spine as she observed him. Something was horribly frightening about the way he spoke and acted...but what it was she couldn't discern. She stepped up to the monk before her, concern lacing her words as she asked, "What is this about, Aang?"

"I just wanted you to know that."

The girl felt like there was something he wasn't telling her, which wouldn't have come as all that big of a surprise. She wanted to pry into the matter some more, but as quickly as his expression had saddened...it was happy again. The seriousness in his eyes evaporated and it took the foreboding in Katara's heart along with it.

"Oh," she said, forcing a smile. She was still bothered by the whole thing, but tried to push it aside. The girl leaned forward, planting a quick, yet powerful, kiss on the monk's lips. "I know _all _of that silly," she asserted when she pulled back, "without you having to tell me."

"Still..."

"Do you not think I feel the same way about you or something?" Katara inquired, wondering if that was what he was getting at.

Aang shook his head. "I don't mean that," he stated. "Even if you didn't, though, it wouldn't change a thing."

She took his hands in her own, gripping them tightly as she spoke, "Aang...I struggled with my feelings for you for a long time. I admit that I didn't know what I wanted at first, but that uncertainty is gone now." She looked meaningfully into his eyes. "_You _are the one I want to be with." Even if he wasn't afflicted by feelings of insecurity, she wanted to make sure he knew. The girl didn't want him to have any doubts.

The Avatar's features visibly brightened. He gently pulled his hands from her grip, enveloping the water bender's tiny waist in his arms as he embraced her and held her close. "You've made me so happy, Katara," he whispered. "I can't thank you enough for that."

"You don't have to thank me for anything," Katara whispered back. "You're the one who made me realize my own feelings." After a brief moment, the two separated. "Now...are you ready?"

Aang nodded enthusiastically. "Let's do it!"

After announcing their plans to the others, Aang and Katara exited the summerhouse and proceeded down the trail that lead to the settlement on the opposite side of the island. Toph chose to accompany them while Sokka and Suki stayed behind with Momo and Appa. The blind bandit wasn't particularly interested in clothes shopping, but she enjoyed the company of Aang and Katara more than she did the others. She surmised that she could at least kill some time; it was better than lounging around the mansion with nothing to do.

As they traversed the dirt path that cut up through the isle's center, they came into dense woodland. The vegetation was thick and the countless branches wove out an upper-level canopy of sorts that obscured the sunlight, hindering the visibility of Aang and Katara. Of course, to Toph, there was no change in her visual perception of the area, given that she had no "visual" to begin with.

"So...word is Sokka's giving you all a hard time," the earth bender stated after a prolonged period of silence. She followed behind the couple, keeping her pace steadily with their own.

Katara looked back to Toph over her shoulder. Her expression visibly angered as she recalled her brother's outrageous behavior the preceding night. She had barely given him an ounce of attention ever since. Even then, her communication with him consisted of single-syllable words that were...for the most part...unintelligible.

"Yes," the water bender verified non-too-happily, "he is. I don't know where he gets off trying to treat me like _I'm _the child all of the sudden." She tightened her fists. "He seems to forget who real the _real _brat is around here."

"Who? Twinkletoes?" Toph nodded her head in the monk's direction.

"No!" Katara exclaimed a little more loudly than she intended. The water bender pinched the bridge of her nose in an irritated manner, sighing heavily.

Feeling that the girl was growing agitated, the bandit snorted a laugh before putting her hands up in front of her. "Easy, easy," she said. "I'm just playing. I get what you're saying. So Sokka's got a screw loose. Big whoop. Just set him in his place with a little water bending action!" She placed both hands in front of her, fluidly performing a movement that was a poor imitation of water bending technique. "Or airhead here can go all _glow mode_." She jutted a thumb towards the monk. "I think that will settle things pretty quick." Suddenly, a devilish smile crept on her face and she added wickedly, "Or _I _can handle it."

"Thanks, Toph, but all that is just a little unnecessary," Aang interjected with a weak smile. "I want Sokka to approve of me and Katara and not to have any doubts about us." He looked to the water tribe girl to his left. "If playing by the rules of his game is what we have to do...then so be it. I don't want anything to complicate our future together." As his eyes made contact with Katara, he felt his pulse begin to quicken. It steadily began to pound even swifter as his eyes absorbed her natural perfection. He could still see her perfectly, even in the shadowy environment. Eventually, his gaze began to drift downward, tracing the curves of her physique as she walked.

"_Ewww_!" Toph suddenly exclaimed, evidently sickened by the beating of his heart. She made a disgusted face. "Okay, Twinkle Toes, Sokka might have a reason to be worried _after _all."

Aang blushed, embarrassed that the bandit was calling him out and even more ashamed by the fact he'd been caught. He stepped in on Toph as he hissed at her, "_Toph! _Sssh!"

"Hey, keep it in your pants and we won't have any problems," the earth bender stated as she folded her arms, tossing her head to the side and sticking her nose in the air. "Katara, watch your back with this guy."

He knew that she was teasing him, but the monk wanted to die on the spot. He wished he could just shrink into non-existence so no one could see his humiliation...especially Katara. The boy was dreading her expression.

Before Aang could turn to her, he noticed Toph's frame suddenly grow rigid with tension.

"Uh oh. Bad news, guys," the bandit announced in a dire tone of voice. Her blind eyes darted left and right, following a multitude of sounds that originated from the encompassing forest. Toph could sense the vibrations of several people scurrying about through the thick vegetation. They seemed to be taking position for an ambush. "We've got company and I don't think they're looking to make friends." She pulled her arms back to her sides, widening her stance as she assumed her trademark earth bending pose. Toph's senses were on full alert, waiting for any movement that signified their advancement. For the moment, they were keeping their distance, but there was no mistaking the fact that they were waiting for the time to strike.

"What?" Katara exclaimed in shock. Immediately, her thoughts went to Aang as she was reminded of his condition. She was suddenly stricken with fear. The boy was completely vulnerable. With his ability to bend _any _elements strangely absent, never had there been a more opportune time for an enemy to strike. Aang would be defenseless. "How many are there?" she called, waving her hands through the air as she collected a myriad of water particles from the humid environment. She concentrated them into a liquid mass. Her concern for the safety the monk awoke a latent instinct inside her. She was overcome with the urge to protect him and the purpose seemed to give her power. Her adrenaline pulsed in her ears as she waited for any sign of attack.

"Ten," Toph stated. "They're just holding position right now. They've caught on to _us _catching on to _them_."

Aang's eyes were searching the light darkness in the surrounding trees. He watched for movement. "Toph, this might be a bad time to tell you this..." he started hesitantly, "but...I can't bend."

The blind bandit almost fell over. She lurched forward, her eyes wide with shock. "WHAT?" she cried. "How the _heck _is that even possible? No, wait, don't answer that question" She assumed her stance once more. "Oh and by the way, _yes_! Yes, it is a _horrible _time to tell me that! Great job, Twinkletoes!"

He smiled nervously. "My bad."

"Listen. Toph," Katara ordered, her voice hard with seriousness. "What do we do? We HAVE to keep Aang safe. Do we run back to the mansion or dash for the village? Which way has the least opposition?"

"Neither," Toph answered with a scoff. "These guys are distributed evenly around us. They've got all the exits covered."

Aang frowned. This was definitely a bad situation. The Avatar's vulnerability would make him an easy kill for even the most inexperienced assassin. If he was able to engage in close-range combat, then he'd have an edge, but that's only if he could pull them into playing his game. "Who are-"

"Here they come!"

Toph's scream cut the air bender off as he heard the shuffling in the woods. It seemed to be coming from every direction. He saw several dark, obscure figures maneuvering through the trees. The assassins were closing in on them fast.

The monk barely had time to dunk when he caught an object whizzing towards his head. He slipped out of its range, successfully evading it. He found he wasn't allowed a moment to recover before many more exploded from forest. They closed in on him rapidly and in great numbers, taking him by swarm. Fortunately, Katara reacted. She stepped in front of him protectively, creating a barrier with the water before her outstretched palms. Aang was able to recognize the familiar stone hands as they exploded harmlessly against Katara's defense. He knew then who the assassins were.

"It's the Dai Li," he announced to the others with a cry.

"Not _just _the Dai Li, _Avatar_."

Aang's blood went cold as the familiar, feminine voice registered in his ears. The venom that dripped from the woman's sharp tongue was unmistakable. His eyes rose, fixing on a figure that was perched on a tree limb high above. His gaze found the woman's face, confirming what he already knew. "Azula," he said as he clinched his fists.

"Azula?" He heard Katara and Toph repeat simultaneously, but the monk didn't take his eyes off the former Fire Lord.

"Aww, you look so surprised and unhappy to see me," the deranged girl said with mock sorrow. "You're just breaking my heart." Anger soon settled in on the woman's features, her face twisting in a hateful snarl. "You should have known Father and I would come for you!" Azula summoned a mass of her azure flame into the palm of her left hand, condensing it into a fiery sphere. "You should have realized that there is no chance of you getting away with what you've _done!_" She gave a feral cry as she hurled it towards the Avatar below.

Aang threw himself out of its path, just narrowly escaping the explosion that blew a decent hole in the surface of the earth. Embers scattered across the vicinity, burning away at the trees and plants. He scrambled back to his feet as Katara once again placed herself between him and the danger. The problem was: there was danger _everywhere._ The girl was forced to abandon her defensive post as five agents of the Dai Li advanced upon her. They darted out from the woods as blurs of green and black, employing the use of their earth bending to create a barrage of large rocks that pushed Katara off the path. They were relentless in their assault and were creating more and more distance between her and Aang. "Toph!" she yelled out. "Watch Aang!"

"I'm kind of _busy_ at the moment," the earth bender called back. She was preoccupied with the remaining half, utilizing every variation in earth bending technique that she was knowledgeable of to string together a combo of attacks that kept the men at bay. The bending of the Dai Li was mediocre at best. They stuck to simple, concentrated attacks and really didn't get too creative with them. Toph out-classed them considerably in skill, but their numbers really stacked up the odds. The bandit wasn't aware of it, but the group was also distancing her from the Avatar as well.

Aang struggled with his next decision. He didn't know what to do. His instincts told him to flee, but the monk's heart wouldn't allow him to do something as disgraceful as abandoning his friends. He _wouldn't _leave Katara.

"What are you going to do now, brat?"

He turned to find himself eye-to-eye with Azula, who had dropped soundlessly from above him. Loathing twisted her visage. Aang stepped back, taking a defensive stance as he positioned his arms in front of him. "Why are you doing this, Azula?" he inquired. "The war is over. There's no reason to fight anymore!"

"No reason to fight?" The woman repeated with a depraved look in her eye. Her shoulders began to shake with a laughter that became exaggerated...and then maniacal. "There is _every _reason to FIGHT!"

The woman's roar was thunderous as she flung herself forward. She unleashed a destructive wave of fire in her blind fury that surged towards Aang. He leaped acrobatically in the air, flipping backwards and distancing himself from the impact zone. Fire engulfed the patch of ground where he'd stood a split second before. Not allowing him time to gather himself, Azula came crashing through the blue inferno, throwing a vicious roundhouse kick at the monk's head.

Aang ducked below it, back-peddling as he made creating distance his primary focus. Azula was relentless, however, and was upon him again in an instant. She threw a fierce barrage of punches and kicks that the monk's agility enabled him to bob and weave around, evading damage aside from a few blows that glanced off the side of his head and cheeks.

"What's the matter, Avatar?" Azula taunted as she resumed her attack. "Why aren't you bending? Certainly you realize how _bad _of a situation you're in!" She clapped her hands together, creating a violent eruption of fire. It's expansion was too swift and unexpected for Aang to successfully step out of its range. The brilliant, blue inferno washed over him, blowing the monk off his feet. The intensity of the flames seared his skin as he crossed his arms in front of his face protectively.

Aang hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop a few feet away. The boy's body was crippled with pain from the multiple burns the attack had inflicted. He struggled against the hurt, forcing himself to his knees. He looked at his arms. They were scorched and blistered severely. Steam billowed off his toasted flesh.

He was faintly aware of his attacker's approaching footsteps.

"You're making this too easy, brat," Azula commented as she delivered a vicious kick into the downed boy's stomach, making him gasp in pain. "Fight back!" She kicked him again.

Aang collapsed on his side, clutching his mid-section. He forced himself to roll, trying to get away from the crazed woman, but she stayed on him with baby-steps. He knew trying to escape was futile...and he loathed his powerlessness. Desperate, the boy fought to stand.

Azula backed off just enough to let him try. She wanted to torture the monk and humiliate him in every way possible. "Good. Now..._bend!_" she ordered.

He regarded her with hard eyes, taking deep, labored breaths as he ignored his pain. The monk was cognizant of his present limitations. His accessibility to the elements was impeded by some transcendental blockage that he couldn't fathom, yet regardless, he knew he had to try. He couldn't fight off Azula without the ability to bend. Focusing, Aang sought out the energies in the air. To his surprise, he felt them responding. The boy amassed them with his thoughts, concentrating the energy into a destructive gale that he unleashed with the swipe of his arm. The "destructive gale" wasn't so destructive. As a matter of fact, it wasn't anything. Not even a breeze was produced by Aang's effort. He felt the energies dissipate and they didn't respond again.

Azula's expression was shocked. She stood in a dumbfounded silence for several lasting seconds before her blank visage contorted with wicked delight. "You _can't_ bend," she stated with a malicious smirk.

Aang wanted to punch himself. She'd found him out all due to his attempt which was ultimately nothing but a demonstration of his incompetency. He cursed mentally.

The former Fire Lord stepped towards him. Her devilishness was unparalleled. Even Ozai was a pale comparison to her iniquity. "I...can't...believe it," she said. "Are you sure you're not toying with me?" Her expression turned angry once again. "Father and I _don't _like being underestimated!"

She unleashed another powerful stream of fire. Being practically at point blank range, Aang braced himself for another fiery torture. At the last second, however, a wall of rock exploded out of the ground in front of him. It deflected the intense flames, keeping him from sustaining any further damage. He was relieved, for her couldn't have taken much more.

"Aang! Are you okay?"

He was suddenly aware of Toph, who was at his side.

"Y-yeah," the monk answered.

"Then get the heck out of here!" She ordered him. "Run back to the mansion and tell Sokka and Suki what's going on."

Aang was adamantly set against it. "No way!" he asserted. "I'm not leaving you and Katara!"

"This no time for your heroism, airhead!" Toph yelled. Another blast of fire from Azula shook the stone obstacle that she'd constructed. It began to fracture. Gritting her teeth, the earth bender snapped, "You're just a problem right now! You're weighing us down, Twinkletoes!" She didn't want to be blunt, but the situation demanded it. Aang needed to escape.

The words cut him to the core; it was a severe blow to his pride. He started to object again, but bit back his words at the last second. He made an effort to locate Katara through the thick trees, but couldn't find her. Every fiber of his being told Aang to stay, but he knew that what Toph had said was the truth. He wasn't able to fight alongside them because he was powerless...and a group was only as strong as their weakest link.

The decision almost brought him to tears, but after a pause...Aang turned and bolted down the trail. He didn't look back, as doing so would undoubtedly make him change his mind. _Please, _he thought desperately, _don't let anything happen to them._

Aang shot up the path like a lightning bolt, fueled by his adrenaline. The pain from the severe burns on his chest, arms and legs were far from his mind. He couldn't shake the fears that nagged at him. He simply tried to focus his thoughts on getting help. Sokka's swordsmanship would have come in handy, but his condition was...crippled at best. There was no way he could fight. Suki's melee ability was the only force present that was possibly enough to compensate for his lack of power. He prayed that it'd be enough to even the odds.

The monk found himself at the clearing sooner than he'd expected. As he burst forth from the woodwork, he immediately turned to Ozai's summerhouse...and stopped dead in his tracks. The mansion was engulfed in a blaze not a hundred yards ahead of where he stood. A thick, black cloud of smoke billowed off it, ascending high into the air. As he observed the fiery scene, his eyes soon found Sokka and Suki. To his immediate dismay, they were on their knees in the grass, surrounded by a handful of Dai Li agents. Their arms had been secured behind their backs by earthen restraints. The _hope _that Aang had been clinging to was suddenly snuffed off.

Sokka was the first to notice him. The warrior's attention had been focused on the ground, but for some reason...he just happened to lift his head and look in the right direction. Their gazes locked, and Sokka's downcast expression immediately grew startled. After a split second, however, it contorted with fear. "Aang!" he screamed, calling out to the monk with an urgency that left the boy confused.

Aang unconsciously took a step forwards, moving towards the pair. The instant he took that first step, however, an incredible force drilled into his back from behind. The boy's senses were disoriented by the blunt impact as he was sent sprawling uncontrollably threw the air. Everything spun out of focus. After what felt like an eternity in mid-air, he collided against the ground with a sickening smack. Paralyzing pain lanced through his body...before his world went black.

...

"Wakey, wakey, Avatar."

A voice beckoned Aang from darkness. He stirred as he slipped back into consciousness, immediately greeted by the agony of his numerous wounds. He felt a severe pain in his left shoulder as someone kicked him. He flinched and groaned audibly, rolling onto his back.

"Stop it! Leave him alone!"

He heard another voice shriek. As his senses became less garbled, the monk recognized that it belonged to Katara. Hearing her gave a fresh rush of energy to his body that enabled him to roll to his feet. His legs almost gave out beneath him, but nevertheless...he found the strength to keep standing. He was aware of a wetness on the back of his neck. The boy reached up, feeling along its base before inspecting his fingertips. They were coated with blood.

"Finally decided to rejoin the party, did we?"

Aang's eyes snapped up at the sound of Azula's voice. He shook himself off, his mind coherent enough to comprehend what was going on around him. He saw the former Fire Lord just feet ahead. The Dai Li were positioned in a single-file line at her back, standing guard over Katara, Suki, Sokka and an unconscious Toph. They were all on their knees, having been apprehend by the overwhelming numbers of the Dai Li. Regret stabbed at his heart. He blamed himself, for it was his weakness that allowed them to be captured in the first place.

"Let them go, Azula," Aang cried as he tried to move towards her. He misjudged the condition of his body, however, and lost his footing as his strength waned. He fell forward, collapsing onto a knee.

"Aang!"

Katara's cry made him weakly lift his head, fixing his shaky vision on her distraught features. The woman had a nasty bruise forming on the right side of her face...and it beckoned forth a greater indignation. Again, the boy endeavored to stand. By sheer force of will, he kept his quivering legs from giving way. He had to fight for the sake of the people he loved. "They...have nothing to do with this."

"Oh, but I think they do." Azula smirked. "You see...for the dishonor that you've brought to me, my father and our nation...you must suffer beyond repair." She shrugged her shoulders before turning back to his friends. Her eyes fixed on Katara, burning with a deeply rooted loathing that was unmistakable. "I especially can't forgive my brother's _whore,_" she spat venomously.

"W-what...are you talking about?"

The black-haired woman turned back to him with a laugh. "You mean you don't _know_?" she asked disbelievingly as she arched a brow. "Why do you think she choose to accompany my brother when he went to face me? They're very fervent lovers, apparently." Her claims may have been false, but Azula had no knowledge of it. The woman had simply made the connection the moment her brother arrived to face her with Katara in his company. She'd suspected a romance between them ever since...and it only fueled her depraved resolve to kill the water bender.

Aang didn't know how to respond. His eyes fell back back to Katara, observing her visage distantly as Azula's words reverberated in his mind. Her eyes were wide and shocked...as if she didn't know what to make of the situation. The monk never attributed Zuko and Katara's friendship to deep feelings of affection between them. He'd never even considered the possibility. He never wanted to. The fear was irrational...wasn't it? After a moment, the boy pulled himself from his daze and shoved his new-found insecurity to the side. He shook his head fiercely, refusing to give Azula the pleasure of letting her words torment him any further. "No," he cried. "You're lying!"

"Am I?" she drawled mischievously. An invisible light bulb went off above the fire bender's head as all of the pieces suddenly clicked into place. Her wicked smile widened. "Oh, don't tell me...that you thought _she _was In love with _you?_"

His silence and tortured features said all that she needed to hear.

"Now this is excellent," Azula exclaimed enthusiastically as she cackled. The girl pressed her palm to her forehead. "You're such a child. Why would anyone want to be with a failure like _you_?"

"Don't listen to her, Aang," Katara screamed. Her countenance was no longer dumbfounded, but desperate. There was a pleading in her eyes that made Aang's heart wrench. She was silenced, however, as one of the Dai Li struck her forcefully in her stomach. The girl doubled over in pain.

Rage boiled through Aang's veins. He discarded Azula's words as he bellowed, "Don't touch HER!"

"Or what?" the fire bender looked at him with a relaxed visage, no longer perceiving the boy as a threat. She hadn't even bothered to have his wrists bound. An Avatar who couldn't bend wasn't even worth the effort. "Are you going to write me an angry letter?" She puckered her lips in a fake pout. Suddenly, Azula turned and advanced on Katara. She snatched a handful of the water bender's long, brown hair, yanking her upright.

Katara cried out in pain, her bound wrists rendering her incapable of fending the unhinged fire bender off.

"I want you to look into his eyes," Azula hissed into the girl's ear, "and tell him that what I'm saying is the truth. Tell him that you're just a slut for my traitorous little brother!"

The water bender shook her head. "N-no!" she yelled.

The former Fire Lord pulled harder. "Tell him!"

"Never!"

Azula threw the girl back to the ground, releasing her grip on the girl's wavy, brown locks. She snarled viciously, "Forget it then, _harlot_. You can lie all you want. It won't matter here soon." She faced Aang once more. "Tell me, Avatar...which one of these four would you like me to kill first?"

Aang stumbled, his expression becoming desperate. "No! Please, don't hurt them," he begged. "I'm the one who killed Ozai!"

He was answered by a blast of fire that knocked him back to the dirt. His skin ached with the pain of fresh burns, threatening to send the boy back into unconsciousness once again. He refused to allow himself. With an agonized moan, Aang sat up. His vision blurred in and out of focus.

Azula's visage was twisted with an indescribable fury. "FATHER ISN'T DEAD," she roared. Her entire frame quivered with anger. The vehemence ebbed away swiftly, however, and her eyes soon became distant as she added, "He's just resting right now, is all."

Aang finally understood the extent to which Azula's insanity had developed. The girl was gone. Her mind had fractured to the point that it was becoming difficult for her to discern illusion from reality...and it was almost saddening. In her insanity, however, there was opening...and he saw his chance to distract her attention. "No, he's not _just _resting. He's dead." He knew antagonizing her wasn't a very wise decision, but the monk would rather he take her wrath out on him than any of his friends. Most importantly, he wanted to get her away from Katara. "I tore him apart," Aang continued, his voice gaining strength. "There was nothing left of that fool when I was through with him!"

The memory left a bitter taste in his mouth. He almost vomited at how he was addressing it like it was some kind of accomplishment, but it he could tell by Azula's expression that it was having the desired effect...so he pressed onward. "You know what? Your father wasn't at all was he was cracked up to be." He forced a smirk. "For someone who was _rumored _to be the baddest man on the planet, he sure didn't put up much of a fight before I killed him."

That was all it took. Azula was baring down on him in an instant, brutally smashing her fist into his face repetitively. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she pummeled him. Aang didn't have the strength to resist...and even if he did...he wouldn't have. So long that the fire bender was hurting him and no one else, he couldn't have been happier. Even if he didn't have his bending, the monk took solace in knowing...that at the very least...he was good for something, even if it was sacrificing himself.

"Get away from him!"

"Why don't you get over your daddy complex, you psycho!"

Aang wanted to scream to Katara and Sokka to shut up, but Azula's wrath had opened up a multitude of cuts on his upper lip and inside his mouth. He choked on the blood that pooled down the back of his throat. He could only imagine what kind of shape he was in. Judging by the level of pain...he had definitely seen prettier days.

What he feared most happened next. Azula's attacks stopped. He felt her lift herself up off him, and the monk cracked open his right eye to look at her. His left was swollen shut.

"Kill them all." Came the cold, heartless command that made Aang's blood freeze.

As the former Fire Lord turned to walk away, he reached out and grasped her ankle with both hands, holding her in place as he begged, "Don't do this. Do whatever you want to me but don't hurt them!" Tears were falling freely from the boy's eyes.

Azula scrunched up her nose in disgust, appalled by the shameless act. "Get off of me, _peasant_," she hissed venomously as she delivered a solid kick to the injured Avatar's face.

A blinding light exploded before the monk's eyes, causing him to recoil and relinquish his hold on her.

Azula turned back to the Dai Li, noting they had yet to execute the command she'd issued. "What are you doing?" she spat angrily. The girl was vexed by their idleness. "I said kill them!"

Aang could only watch in horror as the agents advanced upon his companions. The desperation was soon back once again...but he found it was greater than ever before. The monk's body screamed in protest, but the power of his will endowed the boy with the strength to make another attempt to stand.

Katara's eyes had never left Aang. Her heart was wrenching as she observed his beaten state. He looked so scared and helpless. She prayed for him to stay down, but the water bender knew better. She released a quiet sob as she watched him struggle to his feet. He swayed almost drunkenly before he fell back to the earth. Regardless of his failure, Aang wasn't discouraged. He allowed himself only a split second to rest before he was trying again.

"Azula..."

She faintly heard him call weakly. The girl felt the presence of the Dai Li looming over her. Suddenly, the fear of her own situation became predominant over everything else in the woman's mind. She was reminded of the dire predicament and the impending doomed that hovered menacingly above her and the people she loved. They were going to die. The girl's face turned pale, as if the color in her complexion had been sucked away with the light of hope that she always clung to.

"Don't do this..."

A strong arm curled around her tiny throat. She sobbed as a hand cupped the underside of her chin, gripping her firmly. Though Katara struggled against it, she couldn't overcome the strength of the man's hold.

"Please! Stop!"

Aang's cries were pointless. Katara knew there was no thwarting Azula. Her shoulders rocked as she found herself crying even harder. She hated what was happening. She hated how everything had become so bad...so quick. But hated the most, however, was the fact that Aang was about to be forced to bare witness to the execution of the only family he had left. He was about to lose everything. They all were.

"I'll do anything!"

The pressure around her neck began to tighten under the agent's holds. She waited for the twist that would break it and end her life...

"I SAID STOP!"

An abrupt burst of wind tore across the clearing as Aang screamed. Katara succumbed to the intensity of it, falling back into the Dai Li member who was also overcome by its power. She took a breath of fresh air as the choke-hold was abandoned. Instantly, the girl sat back up. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

A vortex of black wind spiraled violently around Aang's entirety, tearing at the earth around his feet. It strengthened, eventually assuming the shape of a miniature twister that peeled the chunks of rock and dirt at his feet away like layers to an onion. The boy's left hand was clutching at his face as he stumbled side-to-side. She could see the tears leaking over his pained expression.

"So you _can _bend, after all," Azula yelled, her madness rendering her anything but intimidated by the display of power. "What's wrong? No Avatar State?"

The monk didn't respond. The force of the gales intensified even further. Dark thunderheads swirled in the sky above him, enveloping the whole of the island in shadow. Lightning flashed, accompanied by the distant boom of thunder.

For Sokka and Suki, they were reliving the same thing that had happened when they went to retrieve Aang after his defeat of Ozai. The weather, however, was exceedingly more chaotic. Even the power generated by the wind was considerably stronger...and that was saying something.

Katara didn't know what to make of it. It had been clearly blatant that Aang wasn't capable of bending, yet he was utilizing all of the elements regardless. The manner in which they _were _bended was reminiscent of the Avatar State, but she didn't see the trademark glow of his tattoos that had always signified it in the past.

"Well, come on then," Azula screamed over the intensity of the wind. She laughed excitedly. "I'll give you another scar to remember me by!"

The woman extended a finger, channeling the energies from the atmosphere. She used her body as a medium through which the psuedo-electricity could travel. It erupted from her fingertip with a resounding crackle, bolting towards the unsuspecting monk. With his hand over his eyes, the boy never saw it coming.

He didn't need to.

Right as the concentrated bolt of lightning connected with the violently rotating mass of air around him, it dispersed and evaporated to nothing. Azula stared, dumbfounded by how effortlessly her greatest technique was dispelled. She tried again with the same end result. The girl grew desperate. One by one, she launched lightning bolt after lightning bolt against the twisting wall of wind...but to no avail.

"Why...why can't I hurt him?" Azula roared. "I was able to do it before, Father...so why?"

She froze as Aang's hand finally lowered and their gazes locked. She saw the horrible, maroon tint that dominated his usually gray eyes. They radiated a bone-chilling malice that made even the sadistic fire bender tremble in fear, recognizing the malefic, telltale hints of murderous desire. She backed away, her expression becoming increasingly frightened. "Why...daddy?" the girl proposed the question again to the air. "We're righteous, aren't we?" Her visage grew distraught. "AREN'T WE, FATHER?" she screamed.

Katara's breath hitched in her throat as she saw the crimson shade that Aang's eyes had adopted. They burned with an iniquity that was foreign to Aang's character. Even her past dealings with the Avatar State did not prepare her for what was happening right there and then. Even though the wind obscured his features, the evil glow of his hues predominated everything. She couldn't tear her gaze away from him. Never had the monk looked so terrifying. What was mirrored through his eyes was nothing short of killer intent.

"Aang..." she breathed. Quickly, Katara whipped her head towards Azula. "What are you doing? Get out of here," she yelled at the trembling girl. Katara had no love for the woman, especially after all she'd done, but she knew that something wasn't right with Aang. If he killed her and the Dai Li...Katara knew his personality well enough to acknowledge that he'd never forgive himself.

Azula didn't hear her, or at least she pretended not to. "What do I do? What do I do?" she repeated the question over and over to herself, rocking on her knees. Her hands gripped the side of her head as she released an anguished wail. "Help me, daddy!"

The fire bender's body went rigid as Katara observed her. A disturbing chill crept down her spine as she watched Azula's head turn slowly towards her. The loathing had returned to her eyes with a vengeance.

"You..." she drawled hatefully as she stood back to her feet, fighting to keep her balance against the wind, "I can still kill you, even if _we_ can't kill the Avatar."

Azula never had the opportunity.

As soon as the words were spoken from her lips, she pushed the Avatar behind her over the edge. The glowing of the monk's eyes visibly brightened, his face contorting in an expression of rage. With the flick of his wrist, an aerial shockwave erupted from his body. It expanded outwards, wreaking devastation wherever it went. The powerful attack overwhelmed everyone present, forcing them to shut their eyes.

Katara, Suki and Sokka waited for the pain to come with the screaming of the wind. They soon realized, however, that the "screaming" wasn't coming from the air at all. Their eyes were assaulted by the ceaseless gales, rendering them incapable of getting a visual on what was transpiring around them, but Katara was able to visualize everything perfectly. She knew that what she feared most was coming to pass.

Finally, the screams ceased. The force of the wind considerably lessened, but it was still present. Katara chanced opening her eyes. She fought down the urge to throw up at what she saw. The corpses of the Dai Li were scattered across the clearing. Their bodies were mangled horribly beyond recognition. They were twisted in odd ways with their limbs sticking out at even odder angles. None of them were moving.

She sobbed loudly, her heart wrenching.

Her eyes fell to where Azula had been standing just moments before. No trace of the woman was to be discovered; it was like she'd just simply vanished...but Katara knew the truth. She didn't want to face it, but she knew the reality of it all.

Her gaze fixed on Aang.

The whirlwind had been dispelled, but the clouds remained dark and ominous. Raindrops began to pelt the vicinity in quickening succession; it was pouring before too long.

Katara forced herself to her feet. Using the ample amount of water present, she bended some of it around her stone handcuffs, forcing it to fill up the cracks in the rock. With a thought, she caused the liquid to freeze. The process forced the water to expand inside the cracks, shattering the earthen binds into scattered fragments at her feet. She immediately went to run towards Aang, but was halted when Sokka blocked her off.

"Stay away from him, Katara," her brother ordered, using his shoulder to keep her from moving past him.

The girl fought against him. "Let me go, Sokka," she screamed. "I have to go to him!"

"Katara! Stop and take a look at him!"

The water bender fell silent, doing as she was instructed. When her eyes observed Aang's features, she noticed the redness in his eyes had to yet to recede even though his display of power had ceased. The killer intent was still present.

"He can't tell friend from foe right now," Sokka stated sorrowfully as he looked to the monk over his shoulder.

"That's not true! If he couldn't...then he would have killed us, too!"

While the siblings argued, they weren't aware that Aang had become coherent enough to understand what they were saying. Conscious thought returned to the monk, replacing the blinding rage that had consumed him such a short time ago. He was disoriented and confused at first, but bit by bit...the memories came rushing back. He recalled the way he'd mercilessly slaughtered the agents of the Dai Li. The fear of losing his family was overwhelming...and he lost himself in it when he saw the group move in for the kill. Something inside the monk snapped as the image of the gruesome end he'd gave to Azula made him sick to his stomach.

Aang collapsed to his knees, shaking his head disbelievingly as he moaned, "No...no." His shoulders began to tremble as the cold, hard reality came baring down on him at full force. He'd massacred them all. After all the grief killing Ozai had given him, the boy turned around and killed again. His chest wrenched painfully. He was unable to stop the tears that flowed from his eyes as he wailed, "NO!" His fist slammed against the ground.

"Aang!"

The boy didn't respond to Katara's cry, even though he heard her. The last thing he desired was to see her face...or for her to see his. He was ashamed. He was a murderer...worse than Ozai and Azula. The monk couldn't take it. He pushed himself to his feet, turning and breaking out into a mad dash for the treeline. He wanted to get away from the truth, to escape the unacceptable facts and find release from the agony they wrought on his soul.

"Aang!" Katara's shriek came again; it was distant and muffled by the downpour.

The monk never looked back.


	13. Decay

** Author's Note: Geez, it's been a while, neh? I can't begin to properly express my regret for taking so long in posting a new chapter, but I've had an incredibly busy month. In addition to my final exams, I was called away for three weeks by my family up in Indianapolis. It was refreshing to spend some time with them and not to see the pallid, white walls of my room for a while, but now I'm ready to get back into the groove of things. Honestly, I've had this chapter written for quite a while, I just haven't had the opportunity to post and modify it. I was originally intending to dedicate another day or so to lengthening it up a bit, but I figured I wouldn't make any of you wait any further. You're all probably tired of that. Anyway, this chapter doesn't have a lot to it. It's main purpose is to heighten the anticipation for the next one, which I'm thinking none of you are going to be disappointed with. From here, the gears really begin to turn.**

** Also, I just wanted to inform RainandRoses that I intend to personally message you in the near future regarding the questions you proposed in your review. Just give me a day or two, tops, and I'll get back to you. The same goes for anyone reading this who has any questions of their own. I'd be more than happy to answer anything...so long it doesn't completely spoil the story, feel me? **

Chapter 13 - Decay

Sokka futilely endeavored to penetrate the heavy rainfall with his gaze. It blanketed everything in a misty shroud, obscuring the features of the landscape in an almost pale shade of gray. He couldn't even distinguish the shoreline, let alone catch a glimpse of the ocean. The storm had not weakened since the terrible ordeal that had taken place somewhere close to an hour ago. His adrenaline hadn't subsided either. He could still feel the fear and the anger pulsing through his veins. His senses, sharpened by the release of hormones, were alert and ready. Sokka watched for the slightest indication of some kind of second wave. He doubted the possibility of another attack...but the universe had a tendency to prove him wrong.

His eyes struggled to identify the twisted bodies of the Dai Li that were scattered across the open field. He wasn't able to locate Azula, not that he cared to dedicate much effort in doing so. Sokka felt that the woman had deserved whatever end she had suffered. Deep down, he found himself hoping that it was painful. Yet regardless of his disposition on the matter, he knew that Aang wouldn't look at his actions in a positive light. The monk had been forced to go against his very way of life and Sokka was cognizant of the fact that it had to be torturing him. He'd seen the boy's reaction. He saw his pain as Aang's tiny figure vanished into the treeline, ignoring his sister's calls. When Katara had made the motion to pursue him, he didn't interfere. Sokka recognized that the monk wasn't a danger to his sister's well-being anymore...and that he needed help. Katara was the only one who was capable of giving him that support.

Sokka's eyes trailed up along the charred wall in front of him. After the fire that the Dai Li had set to the mansion was extinguished by the downpour, they sought refuge within its charred remains. The structure had sustained significant damage to its exterior, leaving it mostly open to the outside elements, but inside, it wasn't so bad. Some of the furniture had managed to escape the inferno in tact and the flames didn't even reach certain areas of the mansion.

His thoughts shifted, resurrecting the memory of the ambush that caught him and Suki off-guard. They'd attacked out of no where, bursting in through the door to his and Suki's chamber. The scuffle that ensued wasn't a very long one. His crippled state of physical being rendered him incapable of fending the earth benders off...and once again, he wasn't able to protect the one he loved.

In no time, he and his girlfriend were apprehended. The sword master remembered how he'd felt so helpless and weak throughout the entire incident. There was literally nothing he could do to help fight. When Aang appeared in the shadows of the treeline, he was momentarily overjoyed. The young Avatar was always a symbol of hope in even the most dire of situations. Aang was the greatest bender in the world. No one could stand up to him.

But nevertheless, he was struck down.

The said "symbol of hope" crumbled under an unexpected blow from behind. Sokka had seen the attacker stealthily approaching him, but his warning had come too late. Aang was sent flying off his feet. He hit the ground...and didn't stand back up.

Sokka gritted his teeth as he dug even deeper, the memories rejuvenating his indignation and fueling the fire in his chest. Toph was the next person to arrive, soon followed by Katara. His sister was hardly harmed, but the bandit was unresponsive and slumped over the shoulder of one of the Dai Li. His heart had stopped for a moment as he immediately assumed the worst, but he learned, when she was placed at his side, that the girl was still breathing.

Sokka turned to the said bandit. She'd sustained a rather gruesome gash to the side of her head, which Suki was in the final stages of bandaging up. He didn't get how it was possible for things to get so bad. Irritating thoughts lead to the development of equally vexing questions. Why had Aang permitted the situation to escalate so out of hand? Why did he wait until the very last moment to even make an effort to bend? What was wrong with him?

_We all almost died, _he noted bitterly. _He could have done something sooner._

Sokka immediately recognized those thoughts as irrational; it was unfair to push the blame on the monk when he'd seen his punished state firsthand. He humored the possibility that maybe his injuries had restricted his bending to some degree...and it took an activation of the Avatar State, or whatever it was, to endow him with the power to fight again.

He turned his head and resumed watching the rain.

_Katara's been gone for a while,_ Sokka thought. He wondered if his sibling had managed to find Aang. He hoped that she'd been successful in at least tracking him down, as there was no telling what the monk would do in such an unbalanced state. Running was his natural instinct. Whenever things went horribly wrong, he'd try to escape the situation all together. Sokka didn't want the young Avatar to end up sealed in another icy entombment for the next century.

"Do you think Katara's managed to catch up with him?"

Suki's voice called the swordsmen out of the chaos in his thoughts. He looked in her direction, fixing his gaze on the woman's beautiful visage. His heart ached as he was reminded that he'd almost lost her.

"I don't know," Sokka replied solemnly. With a dejected expression, he took her hand in his own, pulling him towards her. "I hope so..."

Suki happily allowed him to lead her into his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder, savoring the comfort she found in the embrace. "Aang doesn't need to hate himself for what he did..." she whispered. "We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."

He nodded, stroking the back of her head affectionately. "I feel the same way," Sokka agreed softly. "But I don't think how we perceive Aang's decision will matter. We could spend days just throwing encouraging words his way and I don't think any of them would reach him." He smirked with a blatant bitterness. "It's kind of sad, I guess. I consider the kid to be my best friend. He's like my little brother, you know? In the end, my sister's the only one who can get through to him, just like Aang is the only who can really get through to her. So where does that leave me?" He shut his eyes in a pained way before adding resentfully, "Why am I never no good to anyone?"

Suki pulled away from him with a sharp jerk, regarding him with a hard and noticeably angry countenance. Her eyes, however, were wide with shock...as if she couldn't believe the words that had just escaped his lips. "Don't you _ever_ talk like that," she asserted loudly as she lightly slapped his chest. "You're an amazing person, Sokka. How could you feel like you're no good to us? Katara and Aang have a special bond. They always have, but that doesn't mean you've been replaced or something. You're Katara's only brother. You've been there, right at her side through every hardship she's ever had to face. She loves you..." Suki paused before adding, "just like I do."

Sokka smiled, appreciating her words of encouragement. They still didn't erase the negativity that nagged at him, but he didn't want to make the day any more difficult than it was. He was swiftly growing bored of dramatic sequences. "I know. I'm sorry," he apologized. "It's just...hard...not being able to help. I mean...I couldn't even so much as lift a finger to fight."

"Your leg is _broken_, Sokka," Suki reminded him. "That isn't your fault!"

"I know, I know," he repeated in a whisper. "I just wish there was something I could have done."

Suki silenced any further nonsense from him by pressing her lips to his own, capturing him in a kiss with a meaning that was clear. After a moment, the Kyoshi warrior pulled away. "You are not to blame for any of it," she said, hoping to drive the point home. "None of us were ready for what happened."

Sokka didn't voice anything out loud, but within the security of his mind, he reformed his resolve to never be vulnerable again. He had lost Yue...and he still blamed that on his powerless. He had almost lost Suki, in addition to his own sister. Everything he had left had been on the verge of being stripped from his life.

Sokka swore that he'd die before he allowed anything to be taken from him again.

…...

The torrential downpour battered the monks' body as he darted blindly through the dense chaparral, trampling over the underbrush and cutting through the mass vegetation that tried to impede his movements. He couldn't recall how long he'd been running. It felt like an eternity. The resounding thunderclaps and crackles of lightning that boomed above were distant to his ears. The boy's suffering predominated everything; it was the reason that he was trying to escape...but the pain was ineluctable. No matter the distance that his footsteps took him, there was no eluding the truth. He couldn't fight or deny it. He was a killer...

A thicket of thorns snagged his ankle as Aang attempted to tear through another brush. It entangled his limb, cutting into his flesh and pulling him to an abrupt halt. The sudden jerk disrupted the boy's balance, sending him tumbling forward into the drenched earth. He didn't bother to brace himself as he hit the ground face-first with a wet smack.

He laid in the cold, disregarding his exposure to the turbulent elements that he once claimed to have "mastery" over. They almost seemed to be mocking him. Aang noted absently that the storm was comparable to the tempest waging in the depths of his soul.

_What...have I done?_ Aang asked himself, haunted by the memory of the evil that had been carried out by his hands. His thoughts soon shifted to Katara. Her image brought on another wave of tears and heartache that clouded the monk's eyes as he imagined the girl's reaction. She had bore witness to the execution of the Dai Li and Azula at his hand. She'd seen him slaughter them mercilessly.

_She must be so disgusted... _he thought pathetically.

Anger distorted the features of the monk's bloodied face. All of the agony, shame and self-loathing within him came out in a tortured scream that exploded from his throat. It carried on into the storm for only a brief moment before it was drowned out by the heavy rain.

_**What's the matter, Avatar?**_

__The familiar voice hissed, questioning him from somewhere among the thoughts of his turbulent mind. Aang cringed, mentally recoiling from its abrupt presence as though every word it spoke was acidic. The tortured monk sought only solitude and he desperately wished that it'd leave him to his suffering. He'd endured enough...and it's sinister whispers never simplified things.

_** Do you despair?**_ It further inquired in a mocking manner.

Aang gritted his teeth, rolling on to his side as he finally whispered a response in a pathetic voice, "Go away..."

The low-rumble of laughter filled the monk's ears.

_**You'll find I'm not so easy to get rid of, **_the voice returned.

A comforting silence fell within Aang's mind, but he knew it would be short-lived. He couldn't figure out the intentions of the mysterious presence inside him. It would lay silent for several days before resurfacing, seemingly only for the purpose of tormenting him. It's words pierced his mental barriers and pervaded his psyche, possessing his mind to an extent that it was beginning to terrify him. The familiarity of it was bothersome enough, but the power behind its words was what unsettled him the most. In the midst of his pain and confusion, Aang was struck by a realization. His desperate desire to rationalize his earlier atrocities may have been simply deluding him, but he began to make more and more connections to the recent oddities and the enigmatic entity. The monk began to feel the proverbial sensation of strings attached to his arms and legs. He couldn't figure out the elusive identity of the puppet-master, but he could discern who the _puppet_ was.

"You..." Aang whispered hoarsely. "You're the reason all of this is happening to me." He bit back a sob as the image of the Dai Li's mangled forms appeared once again before his minds eye. Fury gripped his soul, rejuvenating his battered figure and endowing his aching muscles with strength. "You made me kill them," he roared out to the storm. A fresh burst of hot pain seared through his skin, causing him to temporarily silence himself as he stiffened and waited for the agony to subside.

_**No one manipulated you, Avatar, **_the whisper countered smoothly, its tone accented with subtle hints of humor. _**You made the decision to slaughter them on your own.**_

__Aang shook his head. "No! I'd never do something like that! I didn't have control over myself!"

He recalled the overpowering rage that had gripped him when Azula had issued the order to execute Katara, Sokka, Suki and Toph. The fury was blinding...and it soon devoured him. Despair turned to rage...and rage turned to power. It consumed the rationality of his thoughts and awakened a sinister instinct inside him, a hidden savagery he couldn't suppress...and he succumbed to it.

_**Consciousness exists on many different levels...**_ the voice answered cryptically.

Aang tensed his eyes, his bloodied countenance distorting with agony. "I _can't_ accept this..." He felt like he was falling and reaching futilely for something to hold on to, but nothing was there to catch him. How could he accept such a reality? Aang had never been compelled by the desire to _kill_. Even when he battled Ozai, he found some release in the knowing that it was the Avatar's who forced his hand. Now, the said "release" was nowhere to be found . "I'm not a murderer," he cried.

The voice soon responded, correcting him in a matter-of-fact tone that was bone-chillingly sinister, _**No, you...are a monster.**_

…...

Katara breathed heavily, struggling to extract the oxygen that her lungs and aching muscles so desperately craved. Her legs burned under the scorching flames of an invisible fire. She could practically hear them begging for reprieve under the force of her exertion, but the water bender refused to stop running. She fought through the exhaustion and pushed onward, fueled by the desire to locate Aang. She wanted to pull him back from the despair that she _knew _had ensnared him - to save him from the agony she _knew _he was writhing in.

The vivid details of the nightmarish occurrence were seared into the back of the woman's eyelids. Every time she so much as blinked, another pellucid image would resurrect itself from her memory. She saw Aang's bloodied and downed form as he clutched at Azula's ankle, begging for a molecule of mercy when there was none to be found. His desperation was so heart-shatteringly blatant. She'd never seen the monk appear so weak and helpless. Anger began to swell within her soul, festering with a dark, cold rage for what the sadistic fire bender had done to them – for what _Azula _had forced Aang to do.

Katara's chest wrenched again as the most horrific memory flashed before her. She saw the terrible, maroon tint that slowly began to defile Aang's stormy, gray hues, slithering to the reaches of his irises and devouring the eyes that Katara so deeply adored. The saint-like benevolence that was always the most prominent aspect of his personality just seemed to collapse in an instant, succumbing to an infernal wickedness that had no place manifesting in the character of someone like Aang. She'd been afraid throughout the entire conflict with Azula and her minions, but that moment...as she gazed upon the boy for whom she cared so strongly, she was terrified. Katara had genuinely felt threatened. The dark wind that swirled around Aang's entirety was accented with an iniquity that made her soul quiver uncontrollably. Never had she felt something more _sinister _and..._wrong_.

Then it had happened...

Aang killed them.

Whether or not she was crying was a difficult thing to discern beneath the relentless battering of the downpour, but Katara knew that her soul was wailing in anguish. She heard it screaming distantly into the turbulent atmosphere, reaching her ears as nothing more than a faint, briefly resounding echo. It took a moment for her to recognize that the screaming she heard wasn't metaphorical. Katara stopped in her tracks, her heart lurching in her chest as she whipped around, facing towards the direction of the tortured cry.

"Aang," she whispered beneath her breath. The yell subsided swiftly, leaving her in an even worsened state of panic. She immediately bolted through the forest, miscalculating her distance in her haste and nipping the bark of a tree with her shoulder. The impact knocked off her equilibrium, sending her teetering to the side. She managed to regain her footing after a moment, however, and pushed on.

The forest thickened around her, making navigation a rather difficult thing to pull off. Various masses of vegetation were constantly impeding her progression, scraping at the skin of her ankles and entangling her feet. She fought and tore through whatever plant-like resistance she came across. Her desperation was greater than any of mother nature's pestiferous obstructions. The sense of urgency strengthened her resolve while simultaneously corroding her emotional fortitude.

_I'm coming, Aang..._


	14. Eclipse

**Author's Note:**

** Holy crap! Lol. This has been a long time coming, hasn't it? I believe it's been close to a month and a half since my last update, and guys...I can't apologize enough for it. I've found myself struggling with this chapter more so than any other before it. I just couldn't seem to pin down any solid ideas that truly seemed to compliment the theme of this story and the direction I planned to take it. At least, that's how it was for the majority of the time I've been inactive. It wasn't until I went back and re-watched some of the Avatar episodes that I received the inspiration I so desperately needed. The weird thing? Almost all of the ideas I've elected to implement in this chapter came to me in a dream. Lol. Strange, neh? Well, my subconscious really helped me out on this one. I probably would have still been stuck at square one without it. Fortunately, that didn't happen. Now...there's no more blank gaps. I've finally been able to connect the pieces to this increasingly intricate puzzle...and I'm damn confident that I have it solved. So much so, in fact, that I had to post this right away. I'm literally bursting with enthusiasm and I can't wait to begin construction on the next chapter. However, how I feel about it and how my reviewers feel about it are two different things when it comes to relevance. The opinion of all of you far outweighs that of my own. **

**That being said, I've been crippled with a sense of guilt that's been nagging at me for the last two chapters. I felt that maybe "Animal" and "Decay" could have been done a little better than they were...and I apologize if I've let you all down. This chapter will be a test-run of sorts to determine if I'm starting to get back on track and snag the interest of you all like this story once did. If I fail...please...don't try to take it easy on me. I don't want to abolish this story with ideas that just don't click, even if I feel like they do. If it comes to that, I will gladly relinquish the rights to this story to a more competent writer...or put it on an indefinite hiatus until I've got myself back in check ( which I'd hate to do ). So for this one chapter, I would greatly appreciate if the criticism was abundant. I don't care if it's praise or just straight up flames. Let me know if I'm still producing quality material. Let me know if I'm succeeding...or just straight up failing horribly.**

** P.S.: Just an FYI for all the people who have messaged me: I will be getting back to you all ASAP. I apologize for the delays and I am in no way shape or form ignoring you. I could never do that. So here it is, guys. This is the deciding factor and you all are the deciding variable.**

Chapter 14 - Eclipse

All of the fear, desperation and anxiety left her the moment she spotted him. The light cast by a distant bolt of lightning momentarily illuminated Aang's fallen form, enabling her to finally place some of her concerns to rest. The vociferous pounding of her heart became suddenly dulled. Even the volume of the storm that waged in the outside world fell into silence. The raging elements became inaudible to her ears.

In that moment, the only thing relevant was Aang. She had finally found him...

Slow, zombie-like steps, made by her subconscious mind, lead her closer to his figure as the luminance of the crackling lightning subsided and darkness settled in once more. Before long, however, Katara found herself unable to proceed any further. A nagging, unidentifiable fear suddenly made her feel hesitant in her approach. Katara fiddled with a number of varying reasons within the privacy of her thoughts, all of which amounted to nothing more than speculation; it was merely an endeavor to justify the abrupt presence of terror that gripped her soul. Was it Aang's physical condition she was afraid of? His state of mentality? Or...was it Aang himself?

The vivid memory of his piercing crimson eyes flashed before her; it was synchronized perfectly with the burst of another radiant streak of lightning. There, in that instant, Katara saw something. The momentary explosion of light cast away the thick darkness long enough for her to distinguish a figure that was coiled around Aang's fallen form; it was hard to distinguish it's features, but she knew that it definitely hadn't been there before. Katara both mentally and physically recoiled. She stepped back as her blood ran cold. As quickly as it had come, the light subsided...and the strange shadow completely disappeared from Katara's sight.

_W-what...was that? _She mentally asked herself as her breath hitched in her throat.

The lightning soon pierced the night once more, illuminating the dark terrain around Aang's fallen form. She found that the being was no where to be seen. Katara attempted to reason that it was most likely just a trick that was being played on her by her eyes...but deep down, something told her it was much, much more than that.

Nevertheless, Katara had no desire to dwell on it.

The atmosphere was beginning to feel thick and heavy...and the girl was assaulted by the abrupt desire to run back the way she had came. Despite the resistance presented by her instincts, however, Katara resolved to stand her ground. She found herself having to push against some invisible wall that had developed inside her. She fought against it, determined not to have anything come between her and Aang, even if it was her own body that attempted to divide them.

Katara took a deep breath, feeling increasingly frustrated with herself as she recollected the scattered fragments of her composure and pieced it back together again.

_Aang needs me,_ she told herself, _and_ _I will NOT abandon him._

With that, Katara reacquired enough self-control to move forward. She resumed her earlier pace, breaking out into a hastened jog that allowed her to quickly close the remaining distance between them. She slid to a halt, falling to her knees at his side in the soft, wet earth. She immediately surveyed his features the best she could, trying to determine the state of his condition. Though the darkness cast by the thick, black clouds overhead considerably obscured his appearance, Katara could at least make out his face. Aang's eyes were shut tight while his visage was warped in a pained grimace. She sought to gauge the severity of his wounds, but the absence of light rendered the endeavor entirely fruitless...as she could not even so much as identify the location of a single one. Nevertheless, she was cognizant of the fact that they _were _there, even if she couldn't see them.

"Aang," Katara called out to him, trying to bring the volume of her voice above the roar of the storm. The monk offered no response. His figure remained motionless and she was compelled by the desire to shake him, but Katara feared that she'd accidentally agitate one of his many injuries that she knew were in dire need of healing.

"Aang!" She tried again, but he didn't stir. Katara couldn't take it. Her heart broke for what he had been forced to endure and she dreaded the repercussions that would follow as a result of his exposure to such an atrocity. More concerns steadily manifested within her mind. What if the damage done to his psyche was simply too much to bare? What if...he never recovered from it? What if...?

Finally, Katara couldn't hold herself back. Risking contact with one of his burns, the girl lightly placed the palm of her hands against the boy's shoulders. Before she had the opportunity to shake him awake, however, Katara was assaulted by a sharp, electrifying jolt of energy that tickled her skin. It surged through her arms, causing them to contract strongly as the sensation spread further up and into her chest. An unshakeable feeling of disorientation seized her mind, rendering her neigh comatose in a frozen state of inebriation that was brought on by an unknown source.

_We're running out of time, _an unidentifiable voice screamed inside her mind. It sounded old and wise to her ears while it's tone was laced with an urgency that was unmistakeable. _You must save him, Katara. You're the only one who can!_

Unlike Aang, Katara was definitely not custom to hearing someone speaking to her inside of her own head. She struggled to shake off the initial shock that set in as a result of the abruptness of the enigmatic voice; it was even more difficult to discern its' meaning. Katara had little time to dwell on the matter, however, as the sensation that seized her suddenly changed. The feeling of numbness that disconnected her from her corporeal form collapsed into a bitter coldness that chilled her to the bone. Katara's throat began to feel constricted, as if something was coiling around her esophagus and completely obstructing her ability to breathe.

A wicked laughter resounded throughout her mind.

_**You can't save him from this, Water Bender, **_came the taunting words of a second voice; it was distinctly more sinister than the one that proceeded it. Ripples of fear shuddered down her spine. Katara could hear the malice dripping from its every word like venom as it shouted, _**You cannot save him from himself!**_

Then...as quickly as it came, the ominous presence was gone. Katara sucked in a much needed breath of air, satisfying her aching lungs and clearing away the black spots that had started to settle in around her line of vision. She fell forward, collapsing onto Aang's unresponsive form, shivering uncontrollably as she recoiled from both the cold and her own fright. The elements seemed harsher, her body felt more vulnerable...and these feelings were something Katara couldn't shake. Just as she couldn't shake away the sinister echoes of the voice that still resounded hauntingly throughout her mind.

In her disorientation, Katara failed to acknowledge the dark figure stealthily approaching her from behind...

…...

There were three things Toph was aware the moment she regained consciousness: she was wet, cold...and her head was pounding. Next, she became cognizant of Sokka and Suki as they conversed nearby. Although they spoke in hushed whispers, Toph's hearing was far too acute. Coupled with her pounding headache, every syllable the two muttered was vociferous enough to make her writhe in agony; it was neigh unbearable for her to hear.

"I'm going after them..."

"You can't possibly find them in this."

"I can't just sit around here, Suki. My sixth sense is telling me something's wrong."

"You're just being paranoid because of what happened earlier."

"It's more than that, I'm telling you! I really feel like something...just isn't right."

Every thought in the bandit's mind was fuzzy and obscure, but as Toph listened...the haze over her mind began to dissipate. The memories of the recent events suddenly came rushing back to her. She remembered Azula. She remembered the Dai Li. She recalled being attacked. And she remembered...

Toph sat up with a start, disregarding her battered condition in her alarm. She soon reaped the consequences wrought by her recklessness as her head spun out of control and the bandit was forced to crumble back to the floor.

"Aah," Toph moaned as she curled up on her side, grimacing as she waited for the sudden spell to dissipate. "Bad idea. Very...bad idea."

"Toph!"

Her foolishness had managed to gain the undivided attention of Sokka and Suki. Toph felt the vibrations of their hurried footsteps as they came to her side.

"What are you thinking? You shouldn't be moving around yet," came Sokka's chastising voice.

Toph felt a cool rag being laid across her forehead and oddly enough...it helped in settling down her mind and keeping it from doing any more cartwheels. The bandit decided to allow herself a couple of more moments to further recuperate before she dared reattempt sitting up again. The pounding in Toph's head was becoming steadily more tolerable too, but she suspected that "tolerable" was as good as it was going to get. The wound on the side of her head definitely suggested that, anyway.

In her pain, the memory that Toph wanted so urgently to convey...was quickly forgotten.

"W-what...happened?" Toph finally managed to inquire after a few short moments. "Is...the fight over?"

There was a brief silence...and although dazed, Toph couldn't help but find it foreboding. The seconds ticked by agonizingly long and she was becoming increasingly more impatient. When the apprehension surmounted to such an extreme that Toph found it unbearable, she prepared to voice her distress.

Suki spoke, however, before the bandit was capable of even muttering a syllable. "Yes. Azula... and the Dai Li...are gone."

Toph should have been content with the answer. She should have felt a refreshing wave of relief washing over her. Her worries should have been put to rest, but the way Suki responded in such a solemn manner only fueled the anxiety that steadily began to leave Toph more and more discomposed.

"What?" the bandit asked in a hushed voice that shook with uncertainty. Deep down, Toph found herself questioning if she really wanted another answer, but she spoke again regardless. "What?" she repeated. When the silence persisted, Toph let her composure slip before crying out, "What the hell happened?" She winced as she agitated her already pounding headache once more.

"Some things...happened...while you were out, Toph," Sokka answered her in Suki's place. His tone was as equally reluctant and somber.

It only served to unsettle Toph all that much more.

"_Really_? No way," Toph drawled. Even though injured, her sarcastic nature was...as always...unimpeded. "Just freaking tell me already!"

Sokka sighed heavily. "It's...not...something that's easy to explain," he said in a hesitant manner. "In the end, I guess what it all really boils down to is...Aang took out Azula and the Dai Li." He waited a moment before adding, "He saved us."

As the information settled, Toph became increasingly more and more confused. She recalled how Aang had told her that he was incapable of bending prior to being ambushed by the Dai Li. The monk hadn't been playing a prank or lying. His heartbeat wouldn't mislead her. That one tad bit of information that Sokka had relayed contradicted what she herself knew...and Toph didn't know what to make of it.

After a moment of contemplation, she decided to speak, "So like...how _took out_?"

Sokka cast a momentary glance to Suki. "Like..." he started slowly,"took out..._took out_."

Realization dawned on Toph's visage as her blind eyes widened. She was suddenly cognizant of the gravity of the situation and deep down...something told her that there was still more bad news to come. The memory of the time that Aang went berserk on the rock pillar was still fresh in her mind. His reaction was so vivid. The bandit recalled how that she could almost taste his pain in the wind. At the source of such turbulent destruction, there was only sorrow and agony. When Aang suffered...it was almost like the world suffered with him.

Toph had no doubt that he was suffering now.

"So...did Aang go bonkers again?" she eventually brought herself to ask.

This time, Suki was the one who answered her.

"Yeah, but this go around...it was a lot worse."

Toph grimaced. She could hear the storm waging vociferously beyond the walls of the mansion. The wind was as intense as it was relentless and she could tell that the tempest was anything but beginning to dissipate. Toph knew that Aang was the one who conjured it. Only a bender of his caliber – only the Avatar- was capable of producing such a storm. Once again, the world was crying ...right along with its tortured savior.

Toph tucked her chin against her chest as she reclined back onto her hands. She sighed heavily. "Is there anything _else _I need to know?"

"Not much," Suki replied. "Aang ran off into the forest and Katara chased him. About an hour has passed...and they haven't come back yet."

The nagging sense that Toph was forgetting something crucial began to build a steady flame under the bandit's rear. The prolonged absence of the two seemed to agitate a dormant memory in her mind that was too obscure to recollect. When Toph made an endeavor to dig deeper into the recesses of her said memory, she was obstructed by an intense pain that almost sent her teetering on the edge of unconsciousness once again. Toph mentally recoiled and ceased her attempt. After a moment of recuperation, however, the nagging sense resurfaced with an even greater intensity...and she couldn't refrain from trying again. Toph elected to tread cautiously and only just probed her memory as delicately as she could. She found that she was still met with the same resistance, but the agony wasn't so overwhelming as long as she didn't push to a certain extent.

Having evidently grown concerned due to her silence, Toph heard Sokka calling out to her.

"Toph? Are you alright?"

Suddenly, a vague image manifested itself within the sight of Toph's minds' eye; it was accompanied by a painful, hot flash that sent the girl reeling, but urgency drove her concentration to remain fixed on the image. Much to her frustration, it soon slipped away from her, but in its place came a wave of memories that she could recall in vivid detail. The battle Toph had waged alone with the Dai Li agents played before her. She remembered how she'd successfully outclassed them, demonstrating the superiority of her bending in every regard. Azula's croonies had held no candle to her...and before long...were struck down.

Toph had won the fight. The girl knew that she had.

And then...everything came rushing back.

"Toph!" Sokka shouted again. He knelt down onto a knee, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder and shaking her softly. "You're freaking me out. You look like you've seen a ghost or something!"

Toph turned her head in the boy's direction, her blind eyes peering lifelessly forward yet portraying a fear that could not be mistaken for anything else. Her bottom lip trembled as her already pallid skin turned even paler.

"You just...said...Azula and the Dai Li were taken out, right?" she asked slowly.

Sokka glanced up, looking towards Suki with an expression of evident question plastered onto his visage. "Yeah," he started, his tone unsure, "that's...right."

He soon placed his eyes on Toph once more, silently attempting to discern the source of the bandit's blatant discomfort. Sokka rarely saw her so...discomposed and afraid...and it left a bad taste in his mouth. Apprehension steadily began to swell inside of him.

When Toph finally spoke, Sokka felt his blood run cold.

"So...what about Combustion Man?"

…...

Katara froze when she heard a powerful footstep slapping the soft, sodden earth somewhere close behind her. All of her senses snapped to attention, her body setting itself on high alert while Katara's bones turned cold with a dread that was all too familiar. Laying there with her body flung over top of Aang's, she suddenly felt more vulnerable than she'd ever been throughout her entire life. Katara realized that she was completely and utterly exposed. Her back was being freely given...and there was no disputing the fact that there was someone...or something...looming ominously over her from behind.

Katara's instincts were once again screaming at her to run away, but running was simply something that she could never bring herself to do. She would never abandon a precious friend – especially not Aang.

Katara's eyes narrowed as she forced herself past the fear that hindered her, letting the apprehension fuel the release of adrenaline within her body. As the empowering endorphins were evenly distributed throughout her veins, the resulting high aided her in honing her levels of concentration and courage. She was suddenly cognizant of so much more than she'd been initially.

Over the torrential downpour and ceaseless bouts of earth-shaking thunderclaps, Katara could hear the subtle breathing patterns of whatever stood behind her.

Then...it spoke.

"Stand aside, child."

Katara immediately recognized that she was unfamiliar with the deep, gruff tone possessed by the voice's owner. It struck her with a certain degree of intimidation that penetrated deep into her soul. The said intimidation, however, only made her adrenaline pound that much harder.

Slowly, Katara began to rise to her feet. Her mind was already in the process of developing a plan of attack. She instantly began to assess the abundance of water she had to utilize, while she simultaneously developed a myriad of methods in which it all could _be _utilized. Katara wasn't going anywhere and she definitely wasn't going to let anyone touch Aang.

Not without one hell of a fight...

As she got back on her feet, slowly...Katara began to turn. Her hands shook uncontrollably. The clamant pounding of her heartbeat resounded ceaselessly throughout her ears, drowning out the volume of the outside world and ushering it and the raging tempest into a period of silence. Katara brushed a mess of her auburn hair from her eyesight, tucking it behind her ear and attempting to keep it tame beneath the relentless battering of the wind; it was a wasted endeavor, as the tempestual gales snagged her bangs in their wispy fingertips and pulled it in completely disarray once more. She didn't bother trying to keep it under control again. Her hair was...simply put...the very least of her worries.

Only the anonymous individual on her six had her completely undivided attention...and Katara didn't want to wait for any introductions.

Something told her that the person hadn't sought them out in the middle of a storm to make friends.

Katara's teeth clamped down on her bottom lip and then...her azure eyes finally found the one they sought.


	15. Nemesis

**Author's Note: Haha! I beat none of you were expecting an update this soon, neh? Well...surprise, surprise! Lol. I told you guys that I couldn't wait to begin construction on the next chapter, didn't I? While it is kind of lacking in length ( which I do apologize for ), I spiced it up with a lot of action for you all to enjoy.**

** So...I bet a lot of you are thinking..."Wtf? Combustion Man? Seriously?"**

** And I completely understand if there is any skepticism regarding this idea. I just feel like Combustion Man was a villain who simply...didn't get enough attention. In my opinion, he was a much more challenging adversary than Ozai. He demonstrated a toughness and resilience that made him a worthy antagonist, and I've decided to resurrect him. Unlike how I did with Azula, I will taking the story a little bit more depth with his character. I have a lot of ideas for him, and I honestly think it's going pane out pretty dang well. So just give it a chance, guys. I'm confident you all will be satisfied in the long run.**

Chapter 15 - Nemesis

"N-no...You can't be alive!"

The adrenaline rush ebbed away. Cloaked under a blanket of darkness, Katara found her courage was as fleeting as the light in the environment. Her strength abandoned her...and she was reacquainted with the fear that had plagued her before. As her cerulean eyes penetrated the dark and pierced the heavy rainfall, Katara felt herself beginning to falter. The shock was too great. What she discovered was simply...too much.

"You...can't be here," she breathed disbelievingly as she stepped back. Katara shook her head, rejecting the truth that stood so menacingly in front of her. Though the darkness shrouded his visage, there was simply just no mistaking the individuals features. His very build was unmistakeable to her...and even the storm did not obscure the appearance of his third eye. The back of her foot clipped Aang's side. Katara looked down over her shoulder at the unconscious monk, reminded of just what was at stake. Her resolve was reformed...and she bit down the fear and forced herself to stand strong. Katara's gaze fixed on the supposedly dead assassin that had tormented the group in the past.

The one her brother, Sokka, had nicknamed "Combustion Man". The one they thought that had defeated.

"What do you want?" Katara screamed above the storm. She hardened her eyes, regarding the man as though she would a beast. She was ready to attack if she detected even the slightest motion from the assassin. "Why are you here?"

The man observed her with an equally intense gaze. His rough and grizzly visage was firm, portraying a cold seriousness that would intimidate even the most experienced of warriors.

Katara refused to let her be shaken by him.

"Move aside, girl," the assassin repeated in a commanding voice.

Katara shook her head. She widened her stance, standing protectively in front of Aang. She positioned her arms in front of her, assuming a defense form. "I'm _not _going anywhere."

Combustion Man frowned, a trace of frustration flickering across his scarred visage. He took a step forward.

"Stay away," Katara warned. "I'm not going to hold anything back if you come any closer!" She didn't know how much impact such a threat would have on a powerful bender like him, but they rung with truth nevertheless. Katara knew how dangerous he was...so if he persisted, she was more than prepared to do her best to strike him down.

"This does not concern you," he shouted back, continuing his advance unhindered.

Katara knew then that the situation was not going to be remedied through half-empty threats. She gritted her teeth...and launched herself forward. She made a circular motion with her hands, summoning the abundant water produced by the battering rainfall and amassing it into a wave before her. Katara pushed out with her arms, unleashing the makeshift wave with a resounding cry. It rocketed towards the assassin, covering the short distance between them in an instant. The wave collided into its target with a thunderous smack, but to Katara's dismay...succeeded only in pushing him back before it dispersed almost harmlessly against his hardened physique.

Combustion man stood strong...showing nothing that suggested he'd sustained any sort of damage. He wiped the water away from his eyes before fixing Katara with a vicious glare. "You don't know what you're doing, child," he said with a voice that was laced with warning.

"No," Katara contradicted. "I'm very well aware of what I'm doing. Now, tell me! What do you want with Aang?"

"You know the answer," Combustion Man stated simply.

"Why?" Katara shouted. "Why do you keep trying to kill him? Azula and Ozai are gone! The world is at peace!" She summoned the water once more, shaping it into a layer of liquid and concentrating it around the length of her arms. They distinctly bore a resemblance to the tentacles of an octopus. "Why can't you just leave us alone?"

"Things are not as simple as that." Once again, the assassin began to move forwards. "This goes beyond Azula and the Firelord, girl! The Avatar will die, regardless of the whether or not you stand in my way!" He flung himself forwards, surprising Katara with his agility.

She was reminded of his abilities...and just why Combustion Man had been such a difficult adversary to begin with. Reacting almost on pure instinct, Katara struck out with her arms, lengthening the tendril-like appendages and snapping them as she would a whip. They smacked loudly against his figure, but did not slow him down. Before Katara had the time to recover for another attack, he was baring down on her. She wasn't even able to register being struck until after her feet had already left the ground. Katara was sent airborne from the power behind the blow, and though dazed, managed to keep her thoughts collected enough to strike back. She launched the whips towards the man, curling the two of them around his thick throat. Katara flipped gracefully onto her feet, using all of her strength to tighten her hold on him and attempt to pull him away from Aang. Her best wasn't good enough.

Combustion Man was simply too powerful. His physical strength far outmatched her own, which he demonstrated once more by shrugging off Katara's attack as if it were nothing more than annoyance. He raised an arm and swiped it effortlessly through the watery tentacles, dispelling their formation entirely.

Combustion Man's eyes soon found Aang. The man bent down, extending his clawed, metal arm and reaching for his exposed throat.

Katara was hit with a wave of panic. "Get away from him," she screamed as she hurled herself forward. She didn't give the action a second thought as she was driven by her desperation to keep the monk safe. Katara amassed the raindrops that pelted down upon her from the sky, flash-crystalizing them into a barrage of icy shards that hurled at the assailant at wicked speeds. She recalled doing a similar move to him in the past...and it had little to no effect back then. Whether it was the panic or simply her deep affection for Aang, something, she found...changed the outcome this time.

While the majority of them shattered harmlessly against his back, two of the frozen daggers managed to tear through his hardened muscles - embeding themselves within his flesh.

"Ah," Combustion Man cried out in pain, stumbling to the side as he clutched at the cold shards. In his agony, the man's attention was pulled away from his target, and he unknowingly began to distance himself from him.

When she felt he was far enough away, Katara didn't waste any time. Seizing her chance, the girl called upon everything she had to offer, seeking out her transcendent link with the water that cascaded around the assassin's form. She invoked the best that her powers of visualization could provide, digging deeper into her inner reserves of strength than she'd ever done before. With a cry... Katara instantaneously froze the very space around him - encasing him in ice. The assassin was securely ensnared within the confines of an icy tomb; it was a maneuver identical to that of the one she had used to capture Azula...and she was relieved to find it had the same success.

Katara immediately hurried to Aang. She slid to the monk's side in the mud, swiftly slipping her arms underneath him and pulling him into her chest. Even though her adrenaline was pumping through her veins, Katara noted the boy was considerable heavier than she expected. Nevertheless, she took off in a mad dash towards the treeline, desperate to get away from the small clearing. Much to her dismay, Katara didn't get very far.

A vociferous explosion emanated from behind her, and just as soon as she heard it, Katara felt the ground erupt at her feet. She was hurled forcefully into the air, helpless to prevent herself from relinquishing her hold on Aang. Katara sprawled uncontrollably for several seconds before she collided against the ground. For an instant, everything went black. She felt herself beginning to slip into unconsciousness, but pure strength of will forced her back. Her sight returned, but the impact still left her severely dazed. Her vision was considerably blurred, but Katara was still aware enough to immediately begin trying to spot Aang. After a moment, everything began to come into focus, and she located the unconscious boy. He was laying several feet away from her...with Combustion Man advancing swiftly upon him.

"N-no," Katara breathed, struggling to get back to her feet. The moment she began to stand, a sharp pain in her ankles caused her to collapse back to the ground. She looked down the length of her legs, brushing back her charred pant leg and running her fingertips delicately across her flesh. She was assaulted by the same pain as her digits grazed a severely burnt patch of skin. Katara winced, quickly tossing her head back in Aang's direction with a panic-stricken expression. "Stop," she screamed out hysterically. "Stop it! Leave him alone!"

The assassin did not heed her words. He continued onward, unaffected by her desperate cries. He was just inches away from where Aang laid before he surprisingly came to a sudden halt. The man tilted his head back up to the stormy clouds, acting as though he was...listening to something.

Katara didn't know what his reason for stopping was, but she was grateful nevertheless. She immediately set to healing the wounds on her ankles, summoning the water around her hand and placing it against the agonizing burn. It glowed with a mystic light and she began to feel the pain slowly ebb away.

"I refuse."

The assassin's voice drew Katara's attention back to him. She blinked, completely lost as to just who the man was addressing. Though she was unable to clearly make out his expression, she could tell by the tone of his voice that he was troubled.

"That was not part of our agreement," he shouted to the turbulent sky. Combustion Man fell silent, acting as though he truly was having an actual conversation with someone that simply... wasn't there. Then, he turned his head in Katara's direction.

Chills shuddered down her body as Katara was reminded of the way Azula had looked at her shortly before she met her demise; it was comparable to the way a hunter would regard its prey - the way a killer would regard its victim.

"It seems," Combustion Man began in an almost solemn voice, "that things have changed." He began to walk slowly in Katara's direction. "My target is...no longer just the Avatar."

There was a touch of regret in his tone that left Katara feeling slightly confused, but the said confusion was soon forgotten as her panic set in once more. This time...it was obvious that it was her own life she had to be concerned about. Katara didn't understand what was going on inside the man's head, but she was cognizant of the direness of the situation. She cast a glance down to her wounds. They weren't even close to being healed. When she looked back, Katara was shocked to find that he was already upon her. In the blink of an eye, she felt his cold, metallic fingers curl around her throat. Katara released a strangle cry as she was lifted off the ground and held in the fearsome might of his grip.

Up close, Katara could clearly see his expression...and was surprised to discover that it was neigh sorrowful. There was a pain that was mirrored vividly through his dark eyes.

"I'm sorry, girl," Combustion Man stated in a low voice. Slowly, he began to tighten his hold around her neck.

Katara felt her airway become completely blocked as the pressure began to cave in her esophagus. She struggled against his hold on her, clawing desperately at his face and eyes. The girl's vision began to grow fuzzy as her brain was denied the precious oxygen it needed to continue to function. Her ability to think coherently soon abandoned her, rendering her completely incapable of bending. She was left struggling on pure instinct alone, but in the end...it was futile.

The assassin's herculean might was simply too great...and his grip too indomitable.

Darkness began to creep in around the edge of Katara's sight...and she felt everything beginning to slip away...

"Leave her alone!"

From the brink of unconsciousness, Katara faintly heard a voice crying out. It sounded so very distant, as if it was an echo coming from somewhere far away. Then, she felt the pressure around her neck alleviate...before it vanished entirely. Katara dropped to the earth, falling face-first into one of the many puddles that had accumulated during the rainfall. She unwillingly took a breath, swallowing a mouthful of the muddy water and causing herself to choke. The involuntary action, however, assisted her in regaining her coherency. Katara forced herself up onto her hands, spitting out the remainder of the liquid. Her lungs ached fiercely.

When her sight completely returned, she shakily lifted her head, fixing her gaze on the scene before her. Katara felt her heart skip a beat.

"Aang.."

The monk had regained consciousness. He faced down the formidable assassin...and though standing, he was doing so just barely. She could see that his legs were shaky and his balance...unstable. He'd already sustained a considerable amount of damage during the battle with Azula, and he was anything but combat-ready.

"Aang," Katara weakly called once more. While she was happy to see him awake, she knew that the odds of him surviving a direct confrontation with Combustion Man were slim at best. He was too battered to fight effectively. This Katara knew without a doubt, just as she was aware that if it got to the point that he freaked out again...there would be only another death for him to carry on his shoulders.

Aang eyes remained locked on the assassin. "She's not the one you came for," he yelled out. His voice was dry and raspy, suggesting that he was far beyond being merely fatigued.

"No, but I must kill her nevertheless," the older man responded.

"There is no way I'm going to let that happen," Aang loudly declared. He beckoned the assailant towards him with his hand. "Leave her out of this! It's just between you...and me."

Combustion Man held his ground, as well as his silence, for several moments. Though Katara had only a view of his back, she could almost sense a change in the assassin's aura. Whether or not it was a positive thing was something she could not discern.

"It does not matter who is the first to fall," the man stated in a hard voice. His third eye began to emanate a mystic radiance. "The both of you...are still going to die."


	16. Infest

`Chapter 16 - Infest

"Toph, are you absolutely positive It was Combustion Man?" Sokka shouted back to Toph over the roar of the fearsome tempest that raged above them. He gripped Appa's reins firmly in his hands, keeping a watchful eye on the shrouded wilderness below. Against their better judgment, the group had elected to venture out into the storm on Appa in their search for Aang and Katara. The mighty bison was swaying wildly and unable to maintain a steady course. Though he struggled, even the behemoth was unable to completely stand against the powerful gales that hammered ceaselessly into his side.

Sokka knew the risks that they were taking. The elements were completely against them. The conditions for air travel were the farthest thing from ideal. Nevertheless, Sokka knew that they needed a bird's eye view of the island. Though the torrential downpour significantly obscured their visual of the encompassing terrain, Sokka was aware that "Combustion Man's" rare form of bending was anything but subtle. Even through the storm, the explosions that would ensue in the midst of a confrontation with the assassin would be easily detected.

Sokka couldn't help, however, but find it all just a little...hard to believe. The memory of "Combustion Mans" defeat was still completely vivid in his mind. He thought that he had witnessed his death, but the more time Sokka allowed himself to dwell on the subject...the more probable it became. The group had never been able to actually confirm "Combustion Mans" demise, so Sokka supposed that the chance he survived was well within the realm of possibility.

Sokka just...didn't want to accept it.

"I'm positive," Toph shouted back in a serious voice. She had absolutely no doubt in her mind. "Who do you think did this to me?" She curled her arm, gesturing with her index finger towards the wound that she'd sustained to the side of her head.

Sokka sighed. "Honestly, that's kind of what I'm concerned about," he yelled as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Don't you think there's a chance that maybe it was just the Dai Li? I mean, how could you even tell? It's not like you saw your attacker."

Toph scoffed loudly. "Whoa! First of all," she began with a touch of irritation in her voice, "there is no way I would ever be taken out by a bunch of wimps like the Dai Li. They wouldn't know earth-bending if it smacked them in the face – which it did, by the way." She rolled her eyes. "Secondly, I know what Combustion Mans' footsteps feel like." She made the statement with dead certainty before adding sourly, "It's kind of hard to mistake a man who's half-metal for somebody else."

Sokka released a groan, pinching the bridge of his nose as he mentally evaluated the situation. "Great, so he came with Azula then," he said in a frustrated manner. "No surprise that she's the one he was working for all along."

"Why would he still want to go after Aang, though?" Suki inquired from Toph's side. "I mean...surely he saw what Aang did to Azula and the Dai Li. He can't possibly think he can stand up to that kind of power."

"It doesn't matter," Sokka answered. "Something tells me he's going to try, nevertheless. We have to be there, just in case Aang and Katara do need our help."

"I owe him big time for sucker-punching me," Toph exclaimed as she drilled her right fist into the open palm of her left hand. "I'm ready for some payback."

Suddenly, a resounding explosion emanated from somewhere in the distance; it was easily distinguished and set apart from the thunderclaps that shook the heavens above them.

"Did you hear that?" Toph asked.

"Yeah," Sokka returned, "definitely." His eyes hurriedly scanned the vicinity as he tried to pinpoint the origin of the eruption. Though it sounded somewhat close to their location, there were no prominent signs of any destruction taking place in the landscape below. The rainfall simply clouded everything.

Another explosion sounded off, and this time...Sokka found that he just happened to be looking hard enough in the right direction. He witnessed a nearby patch of trees crumble and collapse under the force of a momentary burst of light that was gone as quickly as it came.

"There! Hold on tight, guys," Sokka exclaimed as he jerked Appa's reins, steering the bison in the direction of the explosion and towards the battle that was taking place below.

…...

The concentrated beam of fire that was projected from Combustion Man's third eye had come too swiftly. Though predictable, in his battered state...Aang found that he lacked the reflexes to maneuver out of the attacks' path effectively. Aang was only able to take a step back and just narrowly avoid a direct hit. The ground exploded from underneath his feet, launching him across the small clearing and into a nearby tree. Pain exploded up his back, knocking the very air out of his lungs. Aang dropped to the ground, unable to do anything but wait for the agony to subside. His entire body already ached. Aang had been repeatedly scorched by the flames of Azula during her onslaught. He could feel the fever in the wounds, and that pain was almost enough to cripple him alone.

As he recovered from the most recent assault, Aang was momentarily uncertain regarding whether or not he could bring himself to stand up again. He'd already been through so much. His body was its limit and he felt as though it would shut down entirely at any given second. Aang knew he couldn't take much more.

"Aang!"

Katara's scream rung out through the air, piercing the savage winds and reverberating within Aang's very core. Her voice ran through his veins, empowering him with some unknown energy that restored the strength to his battered limbs. He forced himself onto his hands and knees, biting back a cry as a lancing pain shot up his spine.

_I have to lead him away from Katara_, Aang screamed inside of his mind.

The monk's struggle demanded more time than he knew he could afford to waste, but eventually...Aang succeeded in getting to his feet. He placed a shaking hand against the trunk of the tree behind him, using it to support himself as he cast his weary eyes in Katara's direction. The water bender had managed to stand up as well, but that was the last thing Aang truthfully wanted her to do. She was a dangerous opponent for almost anyone but the man that stood before them. Katara didn't have a chance.

Aang, himself, was still confused in regard to the situation at hand – pertaining in particular to the random reappearance of Combustion Man. Aang was utterly clueless as to how that the assassin was alive, but it was ultimately irrelevant. The fact was: Combustion Man was alive...and he was trying to kill him.

Aang couldn't afford for Katara to be caught in the cross-fire of a battle that was his alone to win...or to lose.

With that, Aang turned away, willing his sore, wobbly legs to carry him through the forest.

Distancing himself from Katara was the most logical thing to do. Aang reasoned that since "Combustion Man" undoubtedly viewed him as the primary target, that the monk would be the one he elected to concentrate on. Aang cast a quick glance back over his shoulder to confirm his prediction...and was relieved to find he was correct. The assassin was hot on his trail and quickly closing ground.

"Aang!"

Katara's panicked shriek rose from his back.

_Please, just stay away_, Aang mentally begged as he looked ahead. The boy's movements were simply too hindered by the severity of his wounds, which severely cut the amount of distance Aang suspected he could cover before Combustion Man was completely upon him. He needed to get as far away from Katara as he could, for he knew that the water bender would quickly pursue them.

Another explosion erupted from behind him. He felt the shock wave generated by the attack slam into his back. It disrupted his balance, almost sending the boy crashing into the wet earth below him. By some miracle, however, Aang managed to regain his footing and push onwards. He tore his way through the increasingly dense chaparral, carving a path through the large expanse of wilderness in neigh blind desperation. The urgency continued to fuel his aching muscles, enabling him to move on and gain that much more ground. Aang ducked a low-hanging branch. Several seconds past. Aang tore his way through a final thicket of entangled veins and vegetation before emerging into another clearing...and straight to the limits of the islands' expanse. He slid to a stop just inches away from the cliff's edge. He poked his head over the side and peered down at the turbulent ocean. Aang faintly distinguished the blurred formation of jagged rocks being battered by the raging waves.

There was no where left for him to run.

"I've known what your aim has been, boy."

Aang gritted his teeth as the assassin's voice reached his ears. Quickly, Aang spun around, facing the assailant with a hard-fixed glare.

Combustion Man stood at the edge of the tiny clearing just feet away. Though the gargantuan man's physique was nothing more than a silhouette against the treeline, his face was more easily perceived. The intent behind his eyes was blatant.

"You've been trying to get me away from the girl," the assassin proclaimed, his perceptive and battle-hardened mind seeing straight through the monks' ploy. "A noble, yet futile, endeavor."

Aang frowned. He'd been figured out. Still, that didn't mean that he was going to give up. The assassin may have realized Aang's purpose, but that didn't mean he was just going to stop chasing him entirely. Aang's eyes darted side to side as he surveyed the environment and assessed his options, frantically searching from some kind of escape route. Unfortunately, every option led straight into Combustion Man's clutches. Aang knew he needed a plan.

As if he could read his mind, Combustion Man spoke, "There's no point in trying anything else." He took a step towards the cornered Avatar. "There's no where left for you to go."

"Wait," Aang called out, putting up his hand. "Please, tell me why." He was trying to stall for time, but only long enough for his opponent to hopefully drop his guard and create an opening for Aang to capitalize on. "Who is the one making you do this?"

Combustion Man halted as his features became unsettled. Aang could see that his own inquisitions had some effect on the assassin – the way his expression grew so troubled was an evident indication of that. The turmoil that flickered across his visage soon receded, however, and was replaced by a cold seriousness.

"It doesn't matter," Combustion Man exclaimed after a few seconds of silence. He soon began moving forward once again.

"The hell it doesn't," Aang roared out angrily, swiping his fist through the air. He began to feel a a cold pressure swelling up inside of him. For some reason, Aang started to find the sensation sickening...as if whatever it was he felt was something that was just...wrong. In the alien feelings' company came a swiftly increasing rage that began to boil the very blood in Aang's veins. "Why won't you just go away?"

"I cannot," Combustion Man answered somberly. "Not until you...and the water bender...are dead."

The assassin's words triggered a chain-reaction that went off inside of Aang at both an emotional...and physical level. Katara's lifeless figure flashed before his eyes. The bubbling anger that burned away at his core rocketed to a whole other level of intensity, impairing his conscious mind with a haze of hatred that shrouded every rational thought in his head. For an instant, Aang didn't care about anything but hurting the assassin in front of him. For a moment...Aang didn't care about anything...other than making him pay. The desire was simply too great for him to hold back.

When the pressure swelling within escalated beyond his own capacity to withstand, Aang struck.

"You're not going to lay a finger on her," he roared as he neigh instinctually willed the savage gales that were generated by the tempest to gather about his arm. He sliced through the air with his said appendage, his unparalleled bending abilities producing a devastating black wind that tore viciously across the vicinity.

Combustion Man was incapable of matching the attacks' speed...and was therefore caught in the center of its fury. He threw his arms up to protect his face as the dark gales cut into his flesh like aerial blades. Neigh every part of his hardened body was assaulted. His arms and chest sustained a particularly large number of rather deep lacerations. They soon began to bleed profusely. As the attack dispersed, Combustion Man lowered his defensive guard, regarding the Avatar with an unshakeable indifference. He portrayed nothing behind his cold, hard eyes. There was no pain – there was no concern.

Aang found that the intoxicating rage which possessed him dissipated alongside the product of his dark and unusual manner of bending. The hurt which emanated from his numerous wounds returned with a vengeance, and his strength waned as the emotions that empowered him slipped away entirely. He was left with nothing more than a cold and broken void inside of him. The images of the mangled corpses of the Dai Li flashed before him. The memories resurrected the soul-shattering sorrow that had crippled him prior to awakening to Combustion Man's attack.

The last words spoken by the enigmatic voice reverberated through his mind.

_**You...are a monster.**_

Aang weakly lifted his right arm, staring at the palm of his hand as though he was, in fact, regarding a monster. His visage was distorted with fear – a deeply rooted apprehension that festered inside him as he reflected on the foreign, yet increasingly familiar, sensations.

Suddenly, an icy pain assaulted Aang's eyes. The agony escalated to unbearable levels in an instant, draining what strength Aang had left and forcing him down to his knees with a sharp cry. His hand flew to his aching orbs, but the instant his fingertips brushed them, the hurt only became even further irritated. His outstretched hand was left to hover helplessly over the contorted features of his visage. The pain was comparable to something that was trying to literally claw its way out of the back of his eyes. Aang could only writhe in the incredible torment and beg soundlessly for it all to cease. Finally, it did just that.

Aang leaned forward on his hands and knees, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. As he made the motion to wipe the tears tentatively from his sensitive eyes, Aang was struck by the impulse to retch. At first, it was merely nothing but a series of rough dry-heaves. No contents were regurgitated from his stomach. The need to vacate eventually dispersed, and Aang began to think it was over. It soon returned even more fiercely than before. Aang tossed his head forward just as the urge hit him full force. A thick, black substance pooled in massive quantity over Aang's parted lips. He continued to expel the strange liquid from inside of him, retching over and over for a prolonged period of time. He was unable to stop it from coming. Aang's eyes began to burn horribly as its' vile odor assaulted his nose; it was the most rancid thing the boy had ever smelt in his life.

Finally, the fit ceased. The pain inside him diminished as the last of the black substance was removed from his body. Aang's frame shook uncontrollably. The boy pushed himself back, trying to distance himself from the alien liquid. His eyes were wide and panicked.

"It's already begun..."

Combustion Man's voice drew the Avatars' attention to him. The assassin had maintained his distance throughout the duration of Aang's episode, but was now beginning to advance upon him once more. A distant lightning strike illuminated his sorrowful expression.

"W-what?" Aang managed between his labored breaths.

Just as the addressed fire bender began to form the words of his response, a thundering roar emanated from above him. Both he and Aang turned their heads up to the stormy sky. They peered through the heavy rainfall to distinguish the form of a flying bison diving down on their location like a missile.

Combustion Man's visage grew stiff with contemplation. He observed the incoming creature. As it grew closer, both he and Aang were able to make out the figures mounted on top of his back. After a brief moment, the assassins' eyes found Aang once more.

"This will end for the day, boy," he stated in a low voice. He resumed his earlier pace, drawing swiftly upon the monk who was, for all intents and purposes, helpless following his bizarre episode.

Aang waited for the assassin to deal the killing blow. He had nothing left to offer. There was no more resistance to be mustered...for Aang's reserves of strength and will were completely depleted. Much to his surprise, however, Combustion Man simply...moved past him and towards the steep drop at the cliffs' edge.

"If you truly love your friends," the man started in a grave tone as he looked to Aang over his shoulder, "then take your own life...before you take everything from them."

Aang's eyes went wide. "What?" he cried as he looked back to regard the formidable warrior...only to discover that he was gone. Aang poked his head over the side of the cliff scanning the violent ocean below in an effort to perceive Combustion Man's location. He was unable to obtain a visual. Combustion Man had vanished...leaving behind only more cryptic words for Aang struggle with.

Never before, however, had they been so foreboding.

Aang wasn't allotted much time to dwell on the matter. He soon found himself crippled by another wave of nausea; it was accompanied by a scolding fever that lit a fire under his skin. The spell was sudden...and it overwhelmed him completely. Aang collapsed face-first into the soaked earth, the muscles in his body contracting in a series of short spasms that rocked his entire frame.

In the midst of his disorientation, Aang faintly heard the sinister voice whispering from the depths of the abyssial darkness inside him.

_**Tick-tock, Avatar. Time...is running out.**_


	17. Collapse

**Author's Note: Ha ha! I finally managed to get this chapter all wrapped up. I'd be lying if I said it didn't give me any trouble. I actually struggled with this one quite a bit, but eh…it ain't nothing but a thang. ****Ya feel me, hommies? Damn straight. Anyway, I hope all of you are as pumped up for the release of this chapter as I am. Believe me when I say that my anticipation has been just as great as yours. It kills me that It demanded so much time to right it, but better late than never right? Anyway, thank you all once again and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Laterz.**

** Sincerely,**_**~Neo~**_

Chapter 17 - Collapse

He was so cold...

Katara felt the frigid temperature of his shivering body as she cradled him in her arms, keeping him pulled tightly into her chest. She did what she could to shield him from the falling rain and hammering wind as Katara hurried to the entrance of Ozai's charred summerhouse. Aang's condition was deteriorating in nigh every regard – it had been that way since she'd retrieved him from the cold, soaked earth and it only seemed to worsen as time progressed. When Katara had managed to locate Aang following their shared confrontation with Combustion Man, Aang had been relatively coherent. He'd been able to recognize her as she scooped up him into her arms. Aang had muttered her name in a such weak and tentative way that it rattled every nerve of compassion within Katara's heart. He sounded so frail and tormented – calling to her as though she were the only thing capable of sheltering him from the agony that slowly shattered him.

With Suki's assistance, Katara mounted Aang and herself upon Appa's back. For the brief duration of the return trip to the half-burnt mansion, Katara never let him slip from her fierce embrace. She cradled him like she would infant, whispering frequent words of comfort and encouragement that Katara wasn't sure that he could hear. Regardless of how miniscule the effects may have been, Katara received a certain degree of solace in having the completely one-sided conversation. She pretended that his slow, shaky breaths were unintelligible responses that signified Aang's consciousness – proving that he was okay. It helped Katara to pretend Aang was aware of what was transpiring around him – that he knew Katara was still there...and she was never going to leave his side.

Katara dashed through the vacant doorway, almost stumbling over the scattered fragments of splintered wood that littered the floor. She quickly caught her footing and about-faced, regarding Sokka, Suki and Toph as they came rushing into the mansion behind her. Soaked to the core, the group definitely looked worse for wear. Their eyes portrayed a fatigue that was mirrored through every one of even their most subtle features.

"Is there a fireplace?" Katara inquired hurriedly. "We need to get Aang somewhere he can be warm."

"Yeah," Sokka began in an annoyed tone as he limped forward, wiping the water from his face and eyes,"but when the Dai Li had the genius idea of setting the whole_ freaking_ place on fire, certain parts of the mansion collapsed. The room with the _fireplace _just so happens to be one of them." He furrowed his brows, assuming an overly-dramatized look of frustration as threw his hands up in the air and shouted, "I mean they're _earth benders_! What could they possibly need _fire _for?"

Katara ignored him, taking the time to scream a short series of profane curses and vulgarities inside her mind. Simply nothing seemed to be going right at all.

She cast a concerned look down to the pallid, shivering monk within her arms.

"I'm sure there's a room here on the base level of the mansion," Suki exclaimed as she stepped towards Katara. "We'll find something that won't leave Aang exposed to the weather." She turned towards a corridor to her left and away from the main stairwell. "Come on."

Katara nodded, following after Suki as they briskly paced themselves down the length of the winding hallway. Discovering a room that had yet to sustain any damage from the flames wasn't as difficult as they'd expected. Upon turner a corner, the black, charred walls gave way to the mansion's original color and decor. Shortly after, a set of wooden doors came into sight.

Suki selected the first one to present itself and hastily swung it open

Katara followed in behind her.

The chamber was as luxurious as any of the others within the mansion; it was well furnished and far more than spacious. The walls were garnished in lustrous, crimson drapes made of velvet. Katara immediately rushed to the bed that sat against the far wall. She paused to readjust her hold on the monk, awkwardly supporting Aang with one arm while pulling back the thick quilts with her other. Katara laid Aang against the mattress as delicately as she able, handling the boy as though he might shatter like glass in her arms.

Katara released him from her embrace, posturing herself upright and running her eyes over Aang's body. She needed only a glimpse of the injuries scattered across his entirety to effectively gauge Aang's condition. The multitude of burns revealed themselves to be the most prominent wounds, but the damage inflicted upon Aang's face was far from miniscule in contrast. His cheeks and lips were split open in a series of nasty gashes that were clogged with wet dirt and blood. Aang's beaten appearance was only further complimented by the bruised tissue around his left eye. The haematoma was swollen out rather protrusively and seemed to be only a punch away from bursting. Katara was relieved Azula never dealt that other blow. She cringed just thinking about the jagged scar that it would have produced.

Katara steadied her nervous composure, setting aside the "what if" scenarios that were composed by her frantic thoughts. Katara gathered herself and fixed the whole of her attention on what needed to be done. Helping Aang was the task at hand.

Katara lifted her arms, spreading her digits and placing the palm of her hands mere centimeters above Aang's shivering form. She closed her eyes, letting herself slip into a state of both physical and mental relaxation. Katara cleared her head and sought her latent link with the water that dripped off of Aang's shivering body. She effortlessly bended the element into the air and concentrated it into a small, liquid mass that she distributed evenly around her hands. The water soon radiated a mystical light - her transcendental healing powers immediately setting to work on one of the burns on Aang's abdomen.

"K-Katara," Aang called in a weak, hoarse voice.

"Ssh, ssh," Katara cooed softly. She fixed her eyes upon Aang's face, watching it contort in a pained grimace. Katara was relieved that he was still conscious and coherent enough to communicate, but she didn't want him to waste his energy talking. She was far from positive if she even _wanted _Aang to be awake, considering the level of pain he was obviously forced to suffer. "You shouldn't speak," Katara advised gently. "Save your strength."

Aang weakly shook his head. In the midst of his agony, the boy attempted to form the continuance of his words with his lips. Aang's endeavor, however, suddenly met with an obstruction. In an instant, his body visibly tightened. Every muscle went taught beneath his skin, constricting under the force of some abrupt wave of pain. Aang's head lurched forward as a tortured cry escaped his lips. A small wave of panic assaulted Katara's heart. She was forced to abandon her focus on Aang's wound and to use her hands to hold him against the bed. "Someone help me," Katara called back to the others as she fought to keep the monk in place. She felt Aang's body convulsing violently under her touch.

Sokka was soon at the opposite side of the bed. He bent over Aang, placing the palms of his hands against the monk's shoulders and pushing him into the mattress. Sokka's distraught visage mirrored the concern that was present in all of their hearts, and it only worsened as he felt the boy's fit begin to intensify.

"Uh oh," Toph exclaimed in an urgent voice as she kicked herself off the far wall. She hurriedly moved closer to the scene - her lightless eyes wide with alarm. "His heart rate is like...seriously on the fritz." Her countenance grew further perturbed as she listened, furrowing her brows in a thoughtful manner. "It just won't keep a consistent pace."

"What?" Katara inquired in an equally alarmed tone. She whipped her head in Toph's direction, fixing the bandit with frantic eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Like..." Toph slowly started to explain, "It's totally doing flip-flops. One second it's _crazy _fast – the next, I can hardly even hear it all." She lifted her right arm, gesturing to Aang with her extended index finger. "Seriously, you guys would _wig _if you could hear what's going on in there right now."

Toph's words registered with an impact. Already shaken, the disclosure served only to further corrode Katara's distraught state. Her eyes slowly drifted back down to Aang's contorted countenance. As Katara's gaze fixated on the tortured mein of the monk, she felt something inside of her…crack; it was as though some wall barring a section of her psyche fractured – like a crevice had split open in the structure of some emotional dam. The waters withheld by the said psychological barricade – turbulent and dark - began to seep through the wound in its design. Katara's inner reserves of emotional fortitude and strength faltered. The passionate flame that always fueled her resolve dwindled…and for the first time, Katara truly felt herself giving into despair.

Baring witness to the violent fit that seized Aang's body, Katara found her thoughts growing dark. Harsh, frigid sensations of helplessness and despondency gripped her soul. What could she do? She recounted the vivid images left by each of the recent happenings. Every attempt – every endeavor –to provide Aang with even a shred of support was an effort made in vain. Katara's few successes (if they could even be called such) were dwarfed by her insurmountable failures.

Prior to the arrival of Sozin's Comet, Katara faintly recalled the way she had perceived the concept of Aang taking Ozai's life. The fate of the world had rested upon his defeat. Aang had to be triumphant – no matter what the cost. Katara had reasoned that if the death of one man could save a dying world, wouldn't the end ultimately justify the means? Aang had never been able to bring himself to view the subject in that light. His perception of things in general was completely black and white – good or bad. To Aang, there was no such thing as a necessary evil. Before he disappeared from Ember Island, Aang had initiated a heated argument regarding the choice he'd inevitably have to make. Katara could still recall how irate she had been with him and his childishness. His behavior was nothing short of a toddler throwing a temper tantrum – all simply because he wasn't getting his way. Katara had sympathized in the sense that she knew the reason Aang was so torn, but in the end…it wasn't about what he wanted; it was about what needed to be done. The world came first and whatever needed to happen…Aang had to ensure happened – or at least that's what Katara told herself when she chose to accompany Zuko.

Now…she just couldn't see how she'd ever thought of things in such a way.

Ever since the Avatar's forced Aang's hand, the boy's health had been on the decline. Strange, unexplainable events occurred with frightening regularity – each proposing their own trials and hardships that truly tested the group's capacity to endure. Whenever things started to look up, something soon went terribly awry.

Aang was falling apart. Despite her greatest efforts to hold him together, Aang was crumbling away in Katara's arms. She was losing him. On some profound level, she could feel it. She could sense it.

Had the day Aang fought Ozai – the day Katara wasn't there – been her only chance? Was she supposed to keep Aang from killing Ozai? Had that been…her only opportunity to save him?

"Katara!"

_**You can't save him, Water Bender! **_

She could recall the ominous whisper so vividly. Was it right? Was there…nothing she could do?

"Katara! Snap out of it!"

A strong hand clasped about Katara's wrist, snagging the girl's attention. She numbly looked up, her eyes finding Sokka's. Katara could see the concern reflected through his dark eyes.

"You've got to be strong," Sokka asserted strongly as he relinquished his grip on her arm and returned to resisting Aang's thrashing. "Now, help me-"

"Incoming!" Toph cried out, cutting Sokka off as she swiftly dove to the side. She pulled Suki to the floor along with her in an vidently desperate act to distance them from the scene.

Both Katara and Sokka were unprepared for the ferocious spasm that abruptly seized Aang's body. He pushed forward with an intensity that quickly overcame Katara's and Sokka's strength.

Katara was violently knocked off balance and. She teetered backwards, losing her footing and falling harshly onto her rear. Ignoring the dull, throbbing pain that now ailed her, Katara looked up just in time to witness a terrible, black substance pool over Aang's lips. She watched with terrified eyes as he retched audibly, spewing the dark liquid across the foot of the bed where Toph and Suki had stood before. The strange regurgitation plattered across the wooden floor.

Aang arched his back as another small tremor coursed through his shoulders. His frail figure shuddered for a moment…before calming entirely. As Aang's episode seemed to cease, the boy collapsed silently onto the mattress. His body stilled, and soon…the only sound in the room was produced by Aang's deep intakes of breath.

"Yikes," Toph exclaimed as she put her back against the wall. She propped up a knee upon which she rested her right arm, settling herself into a more comfortable position. "Out of the way just in time." She ran a hand through her air, exhaling loudly in exaggerated exhaustion. "Okay, so at least the danger's passed. You'll all be happy to know that Twinkletoes' heartbeat has returned to normal." Her acute sense of smell soon detected an unpleasant odor plaguing the atmosphere. She scrunched her nose in disgust, curling a hand protectively over her nostrils and mouth. "Ugh," Toph moaned in disgust as she waved her free hand through the air, attempting to dispel the repulsive aroma. "What the hell did Airhead here yack up? It smells worse than Appa on a bad day."

Suki picked herself up off the floor, placing a hand against the wall to balance herself as she stood. Her wide eyes surveyed the scene, inspecting the atrocious substance that had been expelled from Aang's body. Suki had never seen anything like it. The liquid was more like some kind of tar; it was too thick and too…sheeny and black to be blood. It also definitely produced far too repugnant of a stench. Her eyes drifted to Aang. The substance coated the skin beneath his busted, lower lip, completely covering his chin. Patches of it had dribbled onto his bare chest.

Suki looked to Sokka as he bent over Aang to survey his condition for himself. He carefully checked the monk's pulse and listened to his breathing pattern before standing upright. "Yeah, it seems like he's okay," Sokka stated in a low voice. "As for what he upchucked, I'm totally clueless. It's all…weird-like." He furrowed his brows before suddenly stepping away, saying, "And just to throw this out there, I'm not going to be the one to clean him up. There is _no way _I am touching that…that..." Sokka struggled with a name before rolling his eyes and settling for, "Whatever that is!"

"You're such a great friend, Sokka," Suki remarked with evident sarcasm, silently scolding the man with her hard, narrowed eyes.

"Well, it could be contagious," Sokka returned. He went to continue, but paused as he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. His gaze fell upon Katara, who was sitting on the floor at the opposite side of the bed. Her head was tucked between her knees with her face buried in her hands. Sokka could tell by the visibly shaking of his sister's shoulders that she was crying. His countenance softened with sympathy as he approached her. She gave him no notice, even when Sokka was at her side. He laid a comforting hand on Katara's quivering shoulder, squeezing it softly. Still, Katara didn't acknowledge him.

"Katara," Sokka spoke in a gentle voice. "It's going to be okay."

"How do you know?" she weakly returned. Her response was so faint it was nearly inaudible.

"I just…do." Sokka knelt down onto his haunches, bringing himself to Katara's level. "You got to hold yourself together. We've always gotten through our hard times. This is no different."

Katara shook her head. "No, you're wrong." She sniffled softly and swallowed before continuing, "Everything is different." Katara's teeth clamped down on her lower lip as she tried to stifle another sob the best she could. She felt her palms growing moister as the tears returned with a vengeance. In a sorrowful and almost angry voice that was strained through gritted teeth, Katara finished, saying, "We're losing him, Sokka."

Sokka didn't know how to respond. He wanted her to stay strong, but strength- it seemed - was becoming increasingly more arduous to come by these days. Sokka would have been lying if he said that everything that had happened hadn't affected him. He knew, however, that it had affected Katara more. To see her breakdown was something rare in itself. Deep down, Sokka was ashamed that he wasn't able to say more to her. He was the big brother – he was the one who _should _have known what to say, but he didn't.

Sokka could only curl his arms around her - pulling her into his chest as he settled for whispering, "Listen, Aang's not going anywhere, but he does need you right now." He patted the back of her head delicately. "You have to pull yourself together- for him."

Katara nodded into his chest. She knew what she needed to do, but she was going beginning to question if it even really mattered in the end. Katara was hearing voices in heard - one telling her to save Aang while the other told her she would fail. It seemed as though that the more time progressed, the more convincing the word's of the latter became. Katara didn't know what she needed to do. The only thing she _was _aware of...was that if something _wasn't _done - and soon - then she was going to lose Aang.

They all were.

Outside, the pounding downpour finally ceased…and the dark clouds above dispersed as quickly as they had come.


	18. Nightmare

Author's Note: Due to this chapter easily being the most horribly written of the lot, I've deleted a significant portion of it to make it read more smoothly. I loathe this chapter and honestly advise against reading it. I only keep it up because it's vital to the plot advancement (and I'm too lazy to re-write it at the moment). So with all this in mind, god speed.

**Chapter 18 - Nightmare**

The worst seemed to be over...

In the wake of Aang's violent fit, the oppressive weight within Katara's chest slightly began to lighten. Its minor alleviation was sufficient enough to rejuvenate her faltering strength of will, and Katara's breathes came more easily. With them, so did her thoughts. Katara recomposed herself and utilized her bending to set upon Aang's wounds once more. She healed the numerous cuts and burns by order of severity, tackling the most gruesome-looking before focusing on those that didn't appear too awful. Katara could still feel the urgency gently tugging at her heart. Aang's condition may have stabilized, but his body wouldn't recover so easily.

That much, Katara felt, was up to her.

However, just as before - when Aang had been injured during his sparring session with Toph - Katara could only do so much. The power of her rare, innate ability to heal wasn't sufficient enough alone to completely erase Aang's wounds. She was limited to the removal of bacteria and infection and could only partially restore his seared tissue; it was enough, however, to relieve Aang of some of his agony. The rest was up to the regenerative processes at work in his body. Katara hoped her efforts would, at the very least, make the said processes function more smoothly.

Time ticked by. Katara's unceasing ministrations were gradually beginning to deplete her stamina. She could feel her skin starting to prickle with sweat, but it was visibly obvious to her that there wasn't much work left to be done. Katara had managed to extract the majority of heat and energy that had festered in Aang's burns. Though still angry in appearance, they were no longer quite as inflamed.

Katara lifted a palm and gently laid it over the gash on Aang's upper lip. She let the water seep into the blood-crusted wound, washing away whatever impurities were festering inside of it.

Katara knew that had done all she could do. She wearily planted herself on the mattress at Aang's side, sighing loudly as she dispelled the formation of water around her hands. She snapped her wrists forward and scattered the liquid carelessly across the wooden floor.

"It's finished. I've done what I can," Katara announced to the others with a heavy voice. She turned her head in Toph's direction, fixing the former bandit with tired eyes. "Toph," she began, "is Aang's heart rate still normal?"

"Everything is all hunky-dory," Toph returned, slightly nodding her head. "If I hadn't seen - well, heard - it with my own ears, it'd be like nothing was going on with him at all." Toph's blind, gray eyes hardened. Her expression portrayed a despondency that was mirrored in her voice as she continued, "Whatever is happening with Aang, though, definitely isn't good. I think that's been established pretty clearly at this point." She propped the back of her foot up against the wall, folding her arms behind her head as she relaxed into it. "So, does anyone have any theories regarding what is) wrong with Twinkletoes?"

Katara wiped a bead of sweat from her brow as she shook her head. "No," she answered with a doeful countenance. Katara's eyes drifted to the unconscious monk at her side. She lifted a hand, delicately caressing the side of Aang's face with her fingertips. The longer Katara observed Aang's blank - almost lifeless - visage, the more she felt her heart begin to twist in her chest.

"I just...don't understand it," Katara whispered in a pained voice. "How did things turn out like this?" She gritted her teeth as a rush of exasperation came bubbling up inside her chest. Katara's vision blurred with angry tears. "It is all their fault," she spat hatefully. "Everything has been going wrong since the Avatar's forced Aang to kill Ozai. How could they do this to him? And then abandon him?" Katara clenched her fists as her body started to tremble, but she quieted herself down. She added in a weak whisper, "He wasn't ready for what they made him do. How could they possibly justify any of this?"

Sokka approached his sister's side, regarding her with a sympathetic expression. "Katara," he started gently, " you have to remember that the fate of the world rested on whether or not Aang won that fight." Sokka laid a comforting hand on her wrist. "I'm sure they had their reasons for doing what they did. We can't even be positive that their decision is related to Aang's condition right now."

"You were there, Sokka. Remember?" Katara returned as she yanked her arm out of his grasp. "You saw how Aang reacted. There is no other explanation for all of this!"

Sokka took a step backwards, granting his upset sister some space to calm herself. He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily as he tucked his chin against his chest. "I know, I know," he stated. "That...and...what we just saw are two completely different things." Sokka let his hand fall to his side, finding Katara's fierce gaze as he tried to continued to explain, "Aang might just be really sick, Katara. What me, Suki and Toph experienced was nothing but another Avatar State freak-out."

"And what happened with Azula?" Katara lashed back. "What about that? How do you rationalize that, Sokka? His eyes weren't glowing blue, you know!" She furrowed her brows , wiping away a tear that threatened to spill down her cheek. "You can't stand there and deny the truth when it's right in front of you - when it's been right in front of all of us." Katara bit her bottom lip as she looked to the side, focusing her gaze on the floor. "I thought the same way as you before Azula came. I'd convinced myself that whatever Aang was going through was just...some phase that he needed to overcome. Deep down, I knew there was something wrong with him, but," she paused, taking a deep breath before continuing in a shaky voice, "I just hoped everything would get better. So long that Aang held on, everything would be okay..."

Katara shut her eyes. "Everything isn't okay, though. Aang isn't okay. And now...I don't even know what to believe anymore."

"Katara..." Sokka started, but stopped himself...as words for an argument seemed to elude him for the moment. He resigned to sagging against the wall and slumping down to the floor. Sokka hung his head between his knees as he ran his hand through his hair. "So maybe there is a connection," he conceded reluctantly, "but I just find it hard to believe that the Avatars are to blame for this."

Toph suddenly interjected. "Well," she began as she folded her arms across her chest, "maybe they did make a mistake. Think about it. It's obvious that the Avatar's wanted Ozai out the picture. Aang couldn't bring himself to do what they were asking, so they took matters into their own hands." She tilted her head to the side, shrugging her shoulders before adding, "What if they went too far?"

"That still doesn't explain anything," Sokka countered in a frustrated tone. "They killed Ozai using Aang's body against his will. Wouldn't that only damage Aang psychologically? Maybe that could trigger some kind of demonized Avatar State, but that doesn't tell us squat about that black stuff he just yakked up." He pointed to the strange substance for emphasis. "Unless dark vomit is commonplace for crazy people, I'm not buying it."

As Suki listened to the verbal exchange, she elected to investigate the muck further. She retrieved a candle from a nearby desk and kneeled at the foot of the bed. The tar-like ick's repugnant aroma was no longer detectable in the atmosphere, but she pinched her nostrils shut with her free hand just to be safe.

"I've definitely never seen or head of anything like this," Suki commented as she leaned towards it, using the candle to illuminate its features. The vomit suddenly began to spasm violently, emitting an audible hiss as it seemed to recoil from the light itself. Suki gasped audibly as the substance swiftly began to dissolve into a black vapor, dispersing in wispy strands through the air wherever the candlelight rested. Soon, it evaporated entirely, leaving no trace of it behind.

Sokka witnessed the spectacle with a countenance that grew increasingly dumbfounded. He struggled to comprehend what he was bearing witness to. As the oddity ceased, and the initial shock subsided, Sokka slowly arched a brow. He kept his eyes fixed on the now vacant spot on the floor.

"Okay. That's...not weird at all," he said with evident surprise lacing his equally evident sarcasm.

Toph kicked herself off the wall and stepped closer towards the group. "What?" she inquired cluelessly, having been obviously unable to witness the event.

"What...just about sums it up," Sokka answered simply.

Toph rolled her eyes. "Could you be a little more specific?" she asked in an annoyed tone.

Any attempts by Sokka to further elaborate were interrupted as Katara abruptly rose to her feet. Thick, chestnut-colored bangs formed a veil over her eyes, casting a shadow that complimented her already grim features . She set her lips in a firm line as she wordlessly began to step towards the door.

"Katara! Wait," Sokka called to his sister as he hurriedly motioned to stand. In his rush, however, Sokka completely forgot about his own injuries. A crippling jolt of pain lanced through his right leg, forcing him to collapse to the floor. Sokka gritted his teeth. The pulsing sting seemed to reverberate through the very marrow of his broken bone, but Sokka did his best to ignore it as he continued, "W-where...are you going?"

Katara's paused at the doorway. Her hands clenched into trembling fists at her side. "I'm going into town," she finally responded in a cold voice. Her chin remained tucked firmly against her collarbone. "If that doctor was able to heal Aang before, then he can do it again."

"What good will that do?" Sokka asked. He tore his eyes from his tortured limb and focused them on his sister once more. "The problem isn't his injuries this time!"

"I know that, Sokka," Katara spat angrily. Her exasperation didn't dominate her demeanor for too long a time, as the girl's vexed features soon softened with a touch of dejection. "I just..." she started in a low and considerably calmer voice, "have to do something. I refuse to stand around, waiting to see what happens next."

"Um, sorry to interrupt, you two..."

Toph's soft, apologetic interjection drew both Katara's and Sokka's attention.

The blind girl was rubbing the back of her head, her countenance reflecting a certain level of nervousness that was accented by a small degree of guilt. "I wouldn't bank on the doctor being of any help to us," Toph added as she fixed her blind eyes on the floor.

Katara whipped her head in Toph's direction. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Toph began with apparent reluctance, "I've kind of been keeping a few secrets, I guess... you could say."

..

...

"U-uh...?"

Aang slipped back into consciousness, awakening from his slumber with little to no trace of clarity present in his mind or body. His senses were scrambled and his body felt heavy. Aang's eyes slowly parted. His woozy sight only further disoriented him, but after a moment, his eyes were able to focus on the soft, coral glow cast by a nearby set of flickering candles.

Aang shook off the lingering fatigue in his bones, dispelling the weariness left over from his greatly disturbed sleep.

"W-where...am I?" he muttered.

Aang slowly moved his eyes around the dimly lit room. Almost immediately, he spotted the Fire Nation insignia; it was inscribed on one of the many carmine drapes decoratively hung in various spots through the chamber.

With the accumulated evidence, Aang was rather easily able to discern enough to suggest that he was back at Ozai's summerhouse. A few moments were all that was demanded for Aang to recognize the absence of matching puzzle pieces. The quickly dissipating fog that surrounded his thoughts would be gone momentarily, but already his partial consciousness was sufficient enough to attribute aspects of the past to the present. Only one of his questions, though, was deserving of an answer.

Hadn't the mansion been burnt to the ground? Aang had personally witnessed the structure become engulfed in the enormity of a rampaging inferno. He thought he had, anyway. Aang tried to sift through the expanditure of his memory's reservoir, shuffling through its archives in search of an answer. It seemed to be right on the tip of his tongue. Finally, Aang put his finger on it. The Dai Li were the responsible arsons. Ozai's summerhouse had in fact been set aflame, but the room possessed a cleanliness and perfection that simply suggested to the contrary.

Aang abandoned any further contemplation on the matter. If the place was still holding itself together, then that was good enough. Questioning why was just a waste of energy.

"How long was I out for?" Aang wondered to himself aloud. The excruciating pain that had recently seized him had made every second feel like a small eternity. In the wake of the agony, Aang was left with little concept of time - let alone one that could be viewed as accurate.

Aang carefully sat upright, testing the extent of his body's recovery and restoration. The crimson sheets he discarded from his body unveiled a startling discovery. The numerous wounds he'd sustained during his scuffle with Azula, though present in memory, were not present on his figure. Aang's bare abdomen was a chiseled depiction of health. Not even a scratch impaired its appearance, and the same was true for every other part of his body.

Just like the time at the old doctor's clinic, Aang's wounds were gone. His countless bruises and severely burnt patches of flesh had underwent some type of profound, accelerated manner of regeneration. Calculating the seriousness of his of sustained injuries, Aang surmised that it would demand many months for an individual's latent, restorative functions to heal such wounds.

There was simply no way that he'd been out for that long.

Aang glided a hand over his chest to dispel any initial doubt. Sure enough, the undamaged flesh wasn't an illusion. The unmarred skin was as real as the air that he breathed.

Putting the anomaly aside, Aang swung his feet over the side of bed, placing them against the cold, wooden floor.

"Where is everyone?" Aang wondered to himself aloud. It was effortless to perceive the absence of company in the chamber. There wasn't a single one of his companions waiting for him. Admittedly, Aang experienced a tinge of disappointment upon the discovery. He had hoped that Katara's face would be the thing that he awoke to. Though Aang was bestowed no such pleasure, he merely disregarded it without a second thought.

Slowly, Aang rose to his feet. Due to either a lack of water or fulfilling meals, his tiny figure felt noticeably much lighter than what he remembered. Aang utilized the absence of weight as he stepped forward, moving across the room at a brisk pace. He proceeded towards the door that was left ajar, pulling it open before slipping into the spacious hallway - where another dilemma awaited him.

Aang uncertainly glanced in the two opposing directions that he could elect to go. The passage to his right split off into a T roughly twenty feet down. Meanwhile, the passage to his right merely rounded off at a corner further down. Aang chose the latter, trusting in the odds of his selection being the correct one.

Everyone must be preoccupied with something, Aang ascertained as he followed the curving passageway; it wasn't long before the distinct chattering of voices came to Aang's attention.

His gamble had paid off.

Aang was pulled from his thoughts as Katara's giggles resounded from around the corner. Gratified at having finally been able to hear her voice, Aang stopped in his tracks and reclined against the wall. He tilted his head back so his eyes could watch the ceiling, listening to her laughter. Aang toyed with the comparisons of everything he conceived as beautiful. Nothing rivaled Katara.

Aang smiled softly. Pushing himself off the wall at his back, he turned the corner.

Out from under the shelter of his thoughts, the few steps Aang took were nothing short of an emergence into a nightmare. He halted in his tracks as his eyes stared forward in utter disbelief. They were transfixed on the hellish impossibility that was transpiring right before him.

Aang felt his entire soul begin to fracture.

I especially can't forgive my brother's whore.

Aang could still clearly remember Azula's words.

You mean you don't know? The disbelieving manner in which Azula had arched her brow flashed before Aang's mind. Why do you think she chose to accompany my brother when he went to face me? They were very fervent lovers, apparently.

Immersed in each other's affectionate embraces, Zuko and Katara engaged in a heated exchange of clashing lips. They tasted each other with shameless hunger, succumbing to the animalistic nature of their carnal impulses. They let their urges assume dominance. The crown prince caressed Katara with explorative hands, skimming over her feminine curvature with the occasional, curious and flirtatious squeeze.

Oh, don't tell me, Azula had once began with a look of a total surprise playing on her countenace, that you thought she was in love with you?

Katara was openly excited by the inquisitive boldness of Zuko's hands and fingers. She allowed him to freely inspect every part of her physique to his heart's content. Releasing the occasional squeal of excitement against Zuko's lips, especially when the groping adopted a daring roughness, Katara conveyed nothing but a heated passion that was nigh akin to arousal.

Now this is excellent, Azula cackled madly. The brief image of her delighted persona flashed among his disrupted thoughts. You're such a child. Why would anyone want to be with a failure like you?

Aang felt like he was going to be sick. Stumbling to the side, he sagged against the wall to his right. He collapsed onto his rear in the corner, numbly spectating the abominable event that was happening before him. Aang witnessed every caress and every kiss with unwavering eyes that soon became dull and lifeless.

The vivid, unconscious recollection of the way Azula had snagged up Katara's hair pervaded Aang's mind. I want you to look into his eyes, the depraved woman had demanded in an audible whisper, and tell him that what I'm saying is the truth. Tell him that you're just a slut for my traitorous little brother!

"Zuko," Katara moaned in an audible voice as she eagerly returned the prince's ravenous kisses.

Aang's unresponsiveness ceased the moment she spoke. When he heard her voice again, it was like a confirmation of reality. What Aang was experiencing was not a trick of the mind. It couldn't have been...

Emotions poured through him all at once. His chest began to horribly ache. Angry, sad and - above all - betrayed, Aang couldn't stave off the anguished scream that bellowed from parted lips.

There was no more of the numbness to keep him disconnected. His mind snapped under the wrenching pain in his heart. He'd been betrayed by the person he cared for most in the world. Aang felt like his final tie to sanity was cut...and now, there was nothing left to catch Aang as he started to fall.

Aang's sight blurred with unshed tears. His distraught emotional state was too great for him to suppress. He didn't even try. With his psyche fracturing, there was no restraining himself - Aang was far beyond the point of no return. From there on, the surging current of his infuriation would only intensify. It broadened the extent of its expanditure and proceeded to devour Aang's rational mind. Aang's thoughts were obscured in the single-mindedness of his desire to hurt Zuko.

Aang struggled to his feet, swaying somewhat drunkenly as a mental pressure swelled inside of his head. He pressed the palm of his left hand to his corresponding temple. Aang fixed the fervent romance, portrayed so openly by the couple, with a disgusted rage that blazed behind his narrowed, gray hues. The veins protruded to the surface of the strained muscles in Aang's neck.

With a terrible roar, Aang hurled himself forward. He dashed towards the couple in a blind fury, submitting to the magnitude of his enraged condition. He yielded to the sole impulse to torture Zuko in every way imaginable.

Zuko and Katara's passionate exchange desisted as Aang's horrible cry pulled their attention away from each other. They acknowledged the monk's presence for the first time, registering the danger of the situation with an urgency that could be seen on their expressions. Aang expected Zuko to shove Katara out of the way. He foresaw having the priviledge of dueling the fire bender without interference.

Aang didn't foresee Katara stepping in between them. Her motion was supported by a look of fierce determination that made Aang stop in his tracks. She summoned the water from the atmosphere, concentrating it into a bubbling mass around her hands while she spread her feet, widening her base as she assumed an offensive pose.

Peering into the depths of her fiery orbs, Aang felt his explosive rage ebb into nothingness. Despair claimed its dominion over his broken heart...and the desire to fight became fleeting, before inevitably becoming non-existent. The ferocity of Katara's countenance was one Aang knew all too well; it was something reserved only for those she did not consider allies. As Katara stared him down, Aang knew that she wasn't regarding him as a friend - she was addressing him as the enemy.

"W-why...?" Aang choked out in a strangled voice as he teetered to the side. His balance faltered, sending him crashing harshly into the wooden floor. He hung his head as a series of sobs wracked his shoulders. Trying to hide the shameful tears that cascaded down his cheeks, Aang buried his face in the palm of his hand. "Just...t-tell me that what I did wrong."

Aang didn't receive an answer. Katara didn't comfort him in his distress like she always had done in the past. There was no affectionate embrace that would bring him solace in his time of despair. Aang was alone. For the first time, he was without anything to hope for. The future was seemingly just as bleak as the present. There was just...emptiness without Katara.

Suddenly, Aang felt a hand caress his cheek. The contact startled him, and he visibly jumped, but couldn't bring himself to recoil...despite how greatly he wanted to. Even though Katara had single-handedly torn his heart and soul to pieces, Aang still yearned for her. Her touch was a remedy for almost any alignment, even one of her own design. Initially, Aang decided that he wasn't going to meet her eyes. She'd betrayed and broken him. Why let her perceive the damage that her influence over him was capable of producing?

In the end, however, Aang couldn't fight the urge. He dropped his hand and slowly lifted his head, fixing his teary eyes on Katara's own. They exuded a softness and affection that took the place of the intensity and seriousness she'd portrayed earlier.

"Aang," Katara whispered in a delicate tone. A single tear ran down out of the corner of her right eye as she swallowed, before adding in a pained manner, "Please...just wake up..."

...

**Yes, this last part was a dream.**

**There's also one last thing I want to address. I know that angst is something that's really emphasized on during the story. There's going to continue to be an abundance of it, especially from this point, but I don't want anyone to think that the incorporated angst is pointless. I've got to break Aang completely at some point in this story...and I believe that it'd take a lot in order for that to happen.**

**Things will only get worse before they get better, but remember that when everything is said in done, the ending might be happier than some of you expect.**


	19. Divide

_**Author's Note:**_

**Hey, everyone! Remember me? I hope some of you still do. Lol. It's only been three months, after all. Nevertheless, it's been three months of inactivity that I definitely didn't foresee. I can't apologize enough for it, but I just want you all to know that I'm back again. I'm about as inconsistent as they come, wouldn't you say? Ready to go one chapter and then not-so-much the next. I'm not the most perfect example of an author, sadly, but I try! So, back to explaining my absence. Not long after chapter eighteen was thoroughly re-edited, my health started failing. I began losing my head/facial hair at an accelerated rate (in a manner too unnatural for typical male baldness patterns), while simultaneously losing the ability to think with any sort of clarity. My thoughts grew more and more hazy by the day, and It escalated to the point that I didn't even attempt writing for well over a month. I lost my insurance at a really unfavorable time, which resulted in a lot of hitches with getting into a doctor. Fortunately, I finally made a break through. I've been diagnosed with Aloepecia Areata, which explains the hairless, and Hypothyroidism, which explains the murky thoughts. The blood work showed that my calcium levels were extremely high (doctor is very worried about that), and I was given a strong medication to help steady my thyroid out. I feel like it's working. It has to be, or I wouldn't have finished this chapter finally. Lol.**

**As much as I wish it was to the contrary, this chapter isn't going to be the most amazing. It's mostly Katara-centric in the sense that it focuses on her withering fortitude and how it translates to problems in the group. I feel like it's pretty emotional and shouldn't disappoint TOO many of you. This chapter is labeled "Divide" for a reason. It highlights the affects that the battles and events have had on the Gaang, as well as their mentalities. While I swear that there will be no extreme fall-outs between them, it kind of sets the stage for future incidents. This chapter is kind of like a necessary filler. It's still relevant to the storyline, but doesn't do much to progress it. As stated, It's mostly just setting the stage. I promise that the next chapter will make up for what this one lacks - including Kataang moments. I haven't implemented enough of them here lately, and I apologize. They'll have the spotlight next time! Just be patient with me! Later, everyone, and thank you all so much for standing by me.**

_Colder Weather_

Chapter Nineteen** - _Divide_**

"And you've seriously just kept this secret up until now?"

Katara's furious voice reverberated throughout the spacious expanse of the damaged summerhouse as she moved forward, quickly advancing upon Toph and closing the distance between them. She disregarded any and all manner of respect, intruding into Toph's personal "bubble" with the proverbial intent of popping it. Her visage was a fearsome portrait of seriousness and indignation as she cornered the blind bandit against the wall. Katara's small fists trembled at her sides.

"How could you?" she cried loudly.

Katara recalled how Toph had told them everything. The bandit had spoken of how she'd cornered Aang the night preceding Azula's ambush. Having been able to hear the subtle fluctuations in his heart rate, she'd been able to catch Aang lying on more than one account. She knew that in addition to deceiving them all about his miraculous recovery under the old doctor's care, Aang had returned any recent inquisitions posed to regard his well-being with answers that were evidently just as far from truthful.

Though Toph's withholding of such information was infuriating enough alone, what truly upset Katara the most was the fact that Aang hadn't confided in her. He'd elected to remain silent, despite the innumerable times she tried to get him to open up. Katara never wanted Aang to feel like his every battle was just his to face alone, but she couldn't seem to have any success in driving that point home. Aang's nature wasn't something she would ever be able to combat, that Katara did not argue with. Still, she couldn't fathom why he insisted on shutting her out. All she wanted was to be there by his side. She wanted to help him in any way that she possibly could. Didn't he trust her? Didn't Aang want her to be close to him?

"What's the big deal?" Toph moaned loudly as she rolled her eyes, placing her hands up in a defensive manner while she slightly recoiled from Katara's swift advance. She turned her head to the side, sporting an exhausted countenance as Katara stepped in on her. Toph released a heavy sigh. "It's not like I even _know _what is wrong with Twinkletoes," she stated with a disinterested visage, folding her hands behind her head. She reclined her body weight against the sturdy structure of the wall behind her, kicking at the dust on the wooden floor before mumbling, "He didn't say squat."

"He had to have told you more than that," Katara asserted as she peered unwaveringly into the lifeless, gray abyss of Toph's eyes. She carefully watched for any indication of deceit, but the one thing in Katara's visage that was more prominent than suspicion was the expectancy. She was watching for an answer and she wouldn't relent until she had one. Katara wanted to hear it all down to the very last detail. She just couldn't shake the suspicion that Toph had excluded a few...select bits of information. Katara may have been simply paranoid, but it wasn't necessarily unreasonable to think that Toph was hiding some things from her. There was no way Toph confronted Aang without walking away with some knowledge, that Katara was certain of. She knew that Toph wasn't the type to just quit and go home if he said "no" once or twice.

"My answer isn't going to change just because you want it to," Toph remarked with a bored yawn. "You can keep hollering till you choke or something, I'm not in the mood to care right now. Now just to be all crystal and stuff, listen carefully." She lightened the tone of her voice, speaking to Katara as though she were an illiterate child, "I-do-not-know-anything!" Toph used a wide variation of gestures with her hands, doing her best to execute a sort of mock sign language. All she was hoping for was to get her point across and halt any further inquisitions. The recent events had already depleted her energy and Katara's voice was only agitating her already pounding headache.

In hindsight, however, Toph was cognizant of having chose a poor time for sarcasm and condescending tones.

The ill-considered act, of course, did little to help the situation, as Katara was anything but pleased with the action. Her vexed visage was warped even further as the anger boiling within her core intensified, its flame feeding off the fury and shame of being so openly disrespected.

"What is _wrong _with you?" Katara spat as she shoved her index finger rather forcefully into Toph's chest. "You _knew _that Aang was a lot worse than he let on and you had no right to keep that from us! And now you're just trying to dismiss everything like it doesn't matter?" Katara took a shaky inhale as she cast a momentary glance to Aang, feeling her hands begin to tremble. Her fierce eyes didn't stray from Toph for too long, though. Katara turned back to her quickly, whirling on the blind girl with a look of hysteria that leaked through her voice as she exclaimed resoundingly, "Aang is _right_ there! He is laying _right_ there and you don't so much as act like you even care!"

"Whoa," Toph started as she defensively brushed Katara's hand away, "first of all: I only kept quiet because Twinkletoes asked me to keep quiet." Toph folded her arms across her chest as she tilted her head to the side, popping her neck. "Secondly," she muttered, "what good will freaking out like you are do? Nothing for Aang, that's a given. I mean...he practically begged me to keep my mouth shut! Aang wanted to wait until he figured things out before saying anything."

"And look what happened," Katara bellowed. "He almost died! We _all _almost died!"

"Ugh," Toph began in a tone that grew increasingly more annoyed, "you are so blowing this out of proportion." Rolling her lightless eyes, she nodded her head, gesturing towards the slumbering monk on the mattress. "Whatever is going on with Aang has got him completely and totally freaked out. He said he doesn't understand enough to tell _us _anything right now." Her head tilted to the side. "What does that tell you when the almighty Avatar is so genuinely terrified of something?"

Katara was beginning to visibly fume. The bubbling vexation running through her felt as though it was beginning to boil the very blood in her veins. "It _tells_ me that he needs help," she lashed back, raising the volume of her voice. "How can we give that to him if we don't even know what is going on?"

"And just what would you have done, Sugar Queen?" Toph asked. "Given him a pep talk? Or would you have tried another water-bending therapy session?" She scoffed loudly before adding, "I bet either one would just have solved _all _of his problems." Her voice dripped with heavy sarcasm.

"At least I would have done something other than just standing around," Katara snapped back. "We are all obligated to help Aang whenever he needs it! That's what friends are supposed to do." She narrowed her eyes before adding icily, "Apparently _you_ never got that part! How much longer were you even planning to go without say something to us?"

"I told you," Toph moaned, lightly banging her head against the wall in an annoyed manner. "Aang wanted me to keep my lips sealed, at least until he figured things out a little bit." She pinched the bridge of her nose in a frustrated manner before mumbling, "I said I'd only snitch if things started getting out of hand."

"And it took him almost dying for you to feel that things had finally reached that point?"

"You know that's not it!"

Katara ignored her response. "We could have changed things," she asserted fervently. "If we weren't as lax, Azula wouldn't have caught us so off guard and maybe Aang wouldn't have been forced to kill anyone!" She hardened her voice, the memory leaving a bitter, horrid taste in the back of her mouth. "You remember that part, don't you?" she inquired sourly. "I hope you know he will never recover from that. Aang isn't a murder - that is not who he is. As far as I'm concerned, their blood and his pain are on your hands!"

As the resounding echoes of her words faded, Katara found the hurt that flickered across Toph's countenance to be oddly satisfying. It filled her with a sense of triumph. She couldn't relish in the twisted delight that was brought on by the sensation, however, as Sokka's voice soon arose from her side.

"Katara, you're not being fair."

The statement was an interruption that she was less than pleased with. Swiftly, Katara turned on him, whipping her head in his direction. She fixed her sibling with a glare that was laced with warning.

"Don't you dare take her side," she spat. Katara raised her right arm, gesturing towards Aang with a visibly trembling index finger. "Do you think what happened to Aang is fair? Do you think it's okay that he's lying on a mattress in the condition that he's in?"

Sokka gave an inaudible sigh as his face fell into a frown. "I never said that," he returned in a low voice, looking off to the side. He cast a despondent glance towards the unconscious monk on the bed. "What happened…happened, and I think we have to accept it. Realistically, there's nothing different we could have done."

"You can't be sure about that, Sokka," Katara remarked.

Sokka rested a hand on his hip, slightly shrugging his shoulders before countering in an even, matter-of-fact tone, "Neither can you."

"It's not the same," Katara thundered, maintaining the defense of her position on the matter.

"You're tired, Katara," Sokka remarked evenly. "You're not being rational."

"Rational? What exactly is rational about anything that's been going on here?" Katara roared. "We had a chance to get to the bottom of Aang's sickness and set things right!"

Sokka momentarily shut his eyes, running his left hand over the features of his countenance. "You know that wouldn't have been enough," he stated in a low voice. "Azula and Combustion Man caught us with our defenses completely down. Knowing Aang was sick, or even why he was sick, wouldn't have helped us prepare for them." Sokka lifted his head, slowly opening his eyes and fixing them on his emotional sibling. "They one-upped us this time. That's all their is to it."

Katara gritted her teeth. Groaning loudly, she flung her hands to the sides of her head, briefly clutching up silky clumps of her thick, auburn locks. Katara was literally on the brink of pulling her hair out. "You're not listening to me," she cried, stomping her foot on the floor in a very child-like fashion.

"I heard everything just fin-"

"Then why is this so hard for you to get?" Katara broke in, effectively cutting her brother off with her heated statement. "Aang's been holding so much inside. All along, I was under the presumption that only Ozai's murder was at the source of his pain, but it wasn't! There was more to it than that!" She furrowed her brows, pausing only for the brevity of a few moments. "If she had just _told u_s sooner," Katara continued, nodding towards the blind girl at her side, "we could have taken a different approach to everything in general." Her voice wavered momentarily, forcing her to quiet herself. She cleared her throat, trying to get her barrings back. "We had a chance. No matter how small it may have been, we still had a chance!"

Katara thrust an accusing finger in Toph's direction. "Toph took that from us," she bellowed. "She stole what could have been our only hope and I will _never,_ everforgive her for it."

Though sustaining her silence, Toph felt that she was almost at her limit. Listening to the argument being held between the two siblings of the Water Tribe, she felt her patience slipping. As the moments ticked by, the sensation did not subside. It steadily mounted and mounted inside of her, building further towards the breaking point. It didn't demand much longer for that point to be reached. Stress and fatigued, Toph fought to maintain her composure no longer. The intensity of her frustration came bursting forth unrestrained.

"You so need a freaking reality check." Toph unfolded her arms, setting her lips in a flat line as she sought to compliment her sudden seriousness. "Face it," she snapped, kicking herself off the wall. "Nothing would have changed if I'd told you sooner, Sugar Queen. There's nothing you, or any of us, could have done. It would have just been something new for you to obsessively worry yourself to death over."

"That's-"

"-the truth," Toph interrupted curtly. She stepped forward, closing the small gap between them. "I shouldn't have had to tell you, anyway. Aren't you supposed to be Twinkletoes' girlfriend?" Toph balled her hands at her sides, regarding Katara in a manner akin to one of disgust. "Aren't you supposed to take care of him? Isn't picking up on this stuff _your _responsibility?" She paused, letting the words settle into the atmosphere. "What's the matter, Sweetness?" she asked mockingly. "Can't even do that much?

"That's enough!" Suki's sudden cry rung vociferously throughout the small enclosure as the Kyoshi Warrior hastily forced her way in between the pair. Pressing the palms of her hands against their abdomens, she quickly, but gently pushed Toph and Katara apart. Having seen and heard her fill of the dispute, Suki was finished with it. She knew that the clash was mostly a result of their fatigued and agitated psyches, but she wasn't sure how positively they'd reflect on it later on. Suki was apprehensive that they might inflict irreparable damage on their friendship, if they had not done so already.

"I think that you two need a second to cool your heads," Suki said softly, doing her best to ease the tension between them and calm the heated atmosphere. "You're both just tired and stressed. We all are. There's no point in you guys fighting each other." She cast a brief glance in both of their directions. "We have enough problems as it is, don't we?"

"Whatever." Toph gently shrugged Suki's hand off of her shoulder, turning to the side. "Good luck making Sugar Queen here understand that." She began a hurried pace towards the door. "I'll be outside with Appa," Toph called back. "I'd rather sit next to a smelly, wet bison than deal with all this drama. It's _way _too much for this blind girl to handle."

Katara didn't spare the departing earth bender a glance as she exited the chamber. Katara was hardly even able to register the girl's leaving amongst the turbulence that steadily began to define her own thoughts. She felt her anger slowly dissipate. The initial sense of justification that originally fueled her indignation was waning rapidly. The impact possessed by the words Toph had asserted were staggering. They pushed her to the brink of faltering. As a clear head returned to her, Katara wondered who it was that she'd truly been angry at all along - Toph, Aang...or herself? Amongst the turmoil, Katara was soon left with only heartache.

"She's right," Katara whispered faintly, letting out a short, bitter laugh as she tucked her chin against her chest. "She's right. It's my fault."

"Katara," Sokka started, his voice assertive and calm as he regarded her with compassionate eyes, "you know that's not true. Neither you nor Toph are at fault for what happened."

Katara shook her head. "It's my responsibility to protect Aang when he can't protect himself", she whispered under her breath. Katara sank to her knees on the hard, wooden floor - defeated. She closed her eyes before adding in a shaky, solemn voice, "Why couldn't I even do that?"

Suki's visage adopted a blatant despondency as her compassionate heart responded to the evident suffering expressed through Katara's words. It pained Suki to see her so distraught. Kneeling at her side, she took Katara's right hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Sokka's right," Suki remarked in a gentle tone. "You can't blame yourself, Katara. You did everything that you possibly could." A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she endeavored to instill some encouragement in Katara, hoping to help combat her faltering emotional fortitude. "You've done more for Aang than any of us ever could. If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't be alive right now."

Katara buried her face in the palm of her hand, shamefully trying to hide the tears that again began to pool in her eyes. "If I ha-"

Katara went silent as a pained moan, accompanied by the shuffling of bed sheets, emanated from behind her. Almost instinctively, she spun in Aang's direction, fluidly transitioning back to her feet and dashing to the bed side. Katara hastily surveyed Aang's condition with her eyes. He seemed in torment, his expression agonized as he tossed himself onto his side, whispering something inaudible. Katara could see the moisture beginning to leak out from behind Aang's closed eyes as his shoulder sharply jerked. He again mumbled something too faint and too soft for Katara to understand.

"He's just having a nightmare," Sokka commented as he approached the foot of the bed. He assumed an awkward posture, wincing from the pain in his leg as he did so. "It's nothing to worry about."

The knowing that he was just dreaming should have left Katara more consoled, but the pain portrayed by Aang's twisted countenance suggested something was very wrong.

"I'm waking him up," Katara announced as she reached out, laying her left hand firmly on Aang's trembling shoulder before anyone could object. She shook him gently, raising her voice as she called out to him, "Aang."

He didn't awaken.

"Why," Aang whispered, his words just hardly audible enough for Katara to hear. "Just…tell me..."

"Aang," Katara repeated in a strong tone as she gave him another shake, being careful not to further agitate his injuries. Even though his body greatly needed rest in order to recover, there was no point to it if his slumber was more physically taxing than his consciousness. A nightmare vivid enough to affect Aang in such a manner was anything but beneficial to his health - that was the way she managed to justify it in her mind, at least. She reasoned that it was fruitless to leave him sleeping if there was no "sleep" to be had. Why let him rest when his "resting" was anything but peaceful?

There were an abundance of ways Katara could rationalize her decision. Her thoughts, however, were more...emotionally influenced than anything. She merely constructed an excuse inside her mind, a reason for why she felt so obligated to wake him. The truth was anything but such. After all that Aang had been through, something had finally presented itself that Katara wasn't necessarily unable to influence. The situation was unbalanced by a factor not beyond her ability to affect. While Katara may have choked at protecting him from the Avatars and Azula, she refused to be so worthless that she couldn't save him from so much as single nightmare.

"Come on," Katara moaned as she gripped his chin with her fingertips. She gently shook his head, attempting to rattle him into awareness.

Again, there was no success. Aang didn't respond. He remained ensnared by the ghostly fingers of the nightmare that plagued him.

"Wake up, Aang," she ordered firmly, raising the volume of her voice. Her cries continued to fall on deaf ears.

The silence maintained.

The brevity of the following few seconds ticked by impossibly slow. Every one of Aang's hushed mumbles and sharp intakes of breath were sufficient enough to rattle her composure alone; it was the clarity with which Katara could perceive his emotions, however, that truly bothered her the most. The intensity of his pain was blatant to her. There could be no mistaking it for any else. The tortured looks assumed by his countenance told her all that she needed to know. Katara could see his heart beginning to break - and her own broke along with it.

Her countenance darkened sadly.

"Oh, Aang," Katara breathed in a soft whisper, cupping the sides of his face in her hands. She regarded him with affectionate eyes that were accented by the heavy. suffocating sorrow that she fought to keep locked away inside.

Katara lowered herself upon Aang's form, pressing her lips firmly to his own. After a few instances of savoring the warmth of his lips, she slowly pulled away. "Wake up, please," Katara whispered, repeating herself one last time.

The seconds passed...and there was no change.

Katara reluctantly started to pull away...

Suddenly, Aang's eyes snapped open.

_Special Thanks to:_

_Betas – hhiihii8, PrivateLLChurch ( These guys take the time to read the initial drafts of each chapter and use their knowledge of writing/english to make them better. These two keep my work afloat. Lol. So much love, you two! I've gone on ahead and posted this chapter before either of you two could read it, but I just needed to get it out there. I'll apply any changes or mistakes you identify once I've heard back from one of you. Ciao!)_


	20. Falter

**Author's Note: Well, it's that time again. It's taken me forever, but chapter twenty is finally complete. I've really been struggling along with my writing as of late. As much as I hate to admit it, it's almost like my sentences just don't flow out like they used to. I have to sit back and think harder about the things I'm describing and it really interrupts my whole writing process. Though I still attribute this to my ever dysfunctioning thyroid, the symptoms do seem to be steadily getting worse. Additional health problems have surfaced as well and I'm all out of funding for doctor visits at the time, so I'm definitely in a bit of predicament. It's not going to keep me from writing, however, I promise you all that. I could be dying and I'd still see this fic through to the end. That being said, I do request that you all do your best to tolerate my decaying writing ability. I wish my mind was cooperating with me like it used to, but I guess I'll just have to bare with the changes as well. I won't be returning to the doctor for another five months, so I'll just keep doing what I can.**

**The support of my readers' is as uplifting as any medication, after all!**

**Anyway, I hope you all approve.**

**Also, does anybody find it odd that my health has been declining since...well...Aang's has? I mean, it's not like I'm throwing up black stuff and conjuring hurricances. I might be coughing up black stuff, but that's about where the similarities end. But yeah, it was just a random thought. So read on!**

Chapter 20 - _**Falter**_

Panic and confusion seized his disoriented mind as Aang awoke with a start, his eyes snapping open to a world he did not recognize. His vision was hazy and unfocused, leaving him incapable of perceiving his environment with any sort of clarity. The lingering haze of fatigue that still enshrouded his consciousness made coherent thinking arduous, but he was aware enough to acknowledge at least a few things. There was an odd pressure weighing down on his chest; it wasn't enough to obstruct his breathing, but the added weight was wreaking havoc on Aang's body. Every one of his bones seemed to creak and croan in agony.

Aang forgot his pains just as quickly as he acknowledged them when his murky sight caught movement. Though everything was a clustered mess of blurred images that he could not distinguish, Aang's clouded sight did focus enough to note the shifting of a brown and blue mass that was looming over him. The pressure on his chest and abdomen readjusted, alleviating for a few moments before baring back down on him as the blob leaned in, drawing itself closer.

"Aang?"

Aang was overwhelmed with a surging rush of apprehension. The small, obscure sense of coherency that Aang's consciousness retained was lost - devoured by a wave of fear and anxiety that quickly began to spread like wildfire throughout his core. He didn't know what was going on, but his instincts were hinting at the presence of immediate danger.

They were practically screaming at him to get away...and Aang wasn't in the proper state of mind to deny them.

Before the odd mass had the opportunity to close in on him any further, Aang instinctively manuevered onto his side. The weight upon his upper torso shifted simultaneously. Feeling the adrenaline rejuvenate his exhausted muscles, Aang pressed the palms of his hands against the obscure figure's mid-section and started to push the unidentifiable mass away.

"Aang, wai-"

The surprised, feminine cry sounded too late. Aang's arms fully extended in a fluid, snapping like motion, hurling the body off of his chest and over the side of the mattress. Not a second after, there erupted a thunderous clamour as whoever Aang had thrown crashed into something hard nearby. The floor shook from the impact, making the wooden frame of his bed shudder and groan.

Aang rolled in the opposite direction and immediately scrambled over the edge of the bed, flinging himself onto the wooden floor and scurrying back into a corner. He retreated into the space as far back as he could as he fiercely rubbed at his tired eyes, attempting to force his vision to focus.

"Katara!" Another voice - one undoubtedly belonging to a man -rang out in alarm.

Aang ceased digging at his eyes long enough to see a red and black mass mauever awkwardly across the room, stepping thunderously around the other side of the bed before lowering itself closer to the ground.

_Katara..._

The name resounded repeatedly within his mind. Though it was hauntingly familiar, there was simply no placement of it in his memory. The longer Aang pondered on the subject, however, the more he realized there was little room for the "placement" of anything. Aang quickly became aware that he couldn't recall a single detail from his past. His thoughts felt heavy. He knew his name, but nothing more than that. The knowledge, or lack thereof, only further rattled his already shaken demeanor.

"Are you okay?" the voice came again.

Scared and shaken by his absence of memory, Aang ignored the masculine voice as it arose once more. He felt wrong for not being able to recall anything. He felt dirty, defiled...and the sensation was maddening. Why couldn't he recall anything? Why was his mind full of nothing but blank cards?

"Yeah, I'm fine," the feminine voice hurriedly responded. There came a brief shuffling of clothes before she continued, "He just surprised me."

The turmoil that dominated Aang's mind ended abruptly. His swirling thoughts were fragmented by a sharp pain that split through his skull. Immediately, Aang felt the urge to retch seize him. He tossed his head to the side just as a torrent of foul, black muck came pooling over his parted lips. It splattered across the surface of the wooden floor, polluting the air with its repulsive stench. As the dark vomit was expelled from inside him, Aang felt the fog over his mind quickly begin to dissipate. His vision cleared and focused as coherency quickly began to return to him.

"Aang!"

As the scream reached him, the headache that had crippled Aang just moments before vanished as well, taking with it whatever psychological block that had been baring his memory. Everything came rushing back in an instant. He had a past again.

Aang knew who was calling out to him. He remembered her name...and he remembered her betrayal. The swift re-emergence of heartache, brought on by the surfacing of the abominable memory, was interrupted as Aang was again wobbled by a strong wave of nausea. He tossed his head forward, bracing himself for another episode of vertigo and raucous vomitting as he felt the urge to retch quickly build inside of him. Fortunately, the spell faded before anything else inside Aang could come back up to say hello.

As the sickly feeling dissipated, Aang quickly became aware of Katara being at his side. He felt her lay her palm against his cheek in an attempt to gauge whether or not he had a fever. He instinctively flinched from the contact, recoiling from her as if her touch were acidic.

"Aang, I want you to look at me."

Despite hearing Katara clearly, Aang found that he couldn't bring himself to immediately comply with her request. Aang could still recall Katara and Zuko's passionate exchange with haunting clarity in his mind. It was a painful image that would be forever seared into his soul and memory and the wounds that the incident had carved into his heart were still too fresh. Although everything seemed to suggest that what he'd witnessed was nothing but a cruel dream, Aang couldn't completely shrug off the doubts from his heart.

He had never before had a nightmare that was so real.

"Look at me," Katara repeated once more.

With great reluctance, Aang finally forced his eyes to find hers; it was a decision he immediately regretted. Whereas Katara's beautiful face had always served as a source of comfort to Aang during past hardships, he found that it did nothing to help quell the turbulence and conflicts of the present. It only rekindled the flame of bitterness and loathing that had burned in his heart before. As more and more images of the twisted dream started to flicker through his mind, the sensations only intensified. Aang clinched his teeth, trying to reclaim control over himself and his composure. He knew the significance of keeping any evidence of his distress from his features. If Katara suspected something was amiss, she wouldn't refrain from inquiring about it. Questions were the last thing Aang desired.

Much to his immediate dismay, Aang found that his endeavor was unsuccessful.

Katara caught the subtle flicker of distress that passed briefly through his darkening, gray hues, spotting the faint traces of pain and discomfort amongst the features of his quickly hardening countenance.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her clearly concerned eyes shimmering in the gentle glow of the candlelight.

"I'm fine," Aang mumbled in a low voice as he slowly pushed himself up off the floor, cautiously testing the condition of his body. Feeling only a dull ache in his muscles and a lingering fever in his burns, he sat in an upright position and reclined back into the corner. Aang eye's glimpsed the black substance that he had regurgitated.

_Again...? _Aang wondered to himself as he recalled the incident with Combustion Man, contrasting the muck he had expelled then with whatever he had vomitted shuddered, feeling a cold chill sweep through his body.

The muck was as black as the darkness that now infested his soul...

Aang shook his head, trying to pull himself together. He didn't want to dwell any further on the matter, as he recognized where such a dark road would ultimately take him. It would only lead to his drawing of a conclusion that he had no desire to draw. Before his thoughts could betray him again, Aang forced himself to stand. He placed a hand against the wall in order to steady and support himself, feeling his legs trembling underneath him. Aang did his best to put his weariness in the back of his mind.

"Don't push yourself," Katara said in alarm. She swiftly sprang to her feet, immediately wrapping her arms around his waist in an effort to support to him. Katara held him tightly, acting as though he might crumble to pieces if she let go.

Aang stiffened from the contact, his every muscle fiercely seizing with tension. His breath hitched in his throat and he was struck by the desire to push her away. For the first time, Aang didn't want to feel her caress. Her betrayal may have been simply a trick of his fatigued mind, but the pain and anguish hadn't been. They were real - the wounds in his heart _were_ real. Aang needed space in order to sort things out, but he didn't know if Katara was going to willingly give him that.

Aang took a quick glimpse around the room, immediately surveying the environment for any signs of Zuko. He noticed Sokka and Suki standing nearby, but the soon to be crowned Fire Lord was no where to be seen. Zuko's absence in the room, however, didn't necessarily mean he wasn't elsewhere in the mansion. Shutting his eyes, Aang ran his left hand down his face.

Following a brief moment of contemplation, he finally decided to speak, "Where's Zuko?" The question was weak and tentative and though he feared what Katara's answer would be, Aang couldn't suppress his desire for confirmation. He needed to know if it all really had just been a dream.

"Zuko?" Katara repeated in a surprised tone. Her eyebrows immediately furrowed in confusion. "He was never here, Aang."

The question definitely struck her as being odd, considering the violent episode that Aang had just went through. The monk had been visibly agonized during his nightmare. That Zuko was a part of it oddly left a bad taste in Katara's mouth. She couldn't help but wonder just what exactly Aang had experienced in his dream.

Meanwhile, Aang could plainly see her perplexity; it was conveyed vividly through her countenance and seemed to be completely genuine. Nothing about Katara's features suggested that she was trying to be deceitful. The knowing should have Immediately relieved Aang of his doubts. It should have alleviated the heaviness in his chest and took away the pain that was in his heart - but it didn't. The ache remained...and the cold feeling in his stomach didn't go away.

_It was just a dream, _he thought to himself reassuringly.

"Aang," Katara began in a soft voice, "are you sure you're okay?" She regarded him with a visibly concerned expression.

"Yeah," Aang returned as he rubbed his eyes, tucking his chin against his chest. His voice grew heavy as he continued, "I just must have dreamed him being here or something. Forget I said anything."

The statement confirmed Katara's suspicions. Zuko had been in his nightmare and seemed to have played an important part in it. That Aang had yet to inquire about, or even notice, Toph's absence implied that Zuko had been the one he was looking for. Zuko was the one at the front of his mind. Katara was forced to stop herself from dwelling on it any further, deciding that she'd have better luck putting the peices together at another time. After she had a conversation with Aang, of course. For the time, the monk's recovery was her top priority.

"Come on," she stated. "Let's get you back in bed." Katara started to turn to the side, attempting to guide him in the direction of the mattress.

Aang immediately stopped in his tracks, refusing to venture any further once he was aware of her intent. He was adamantly opposed to the very idea of slumber, as the possibility of having another nightmare was simply too terrifying of a prospect to him. In all honesty, it wouldn't have bothered Aang if he never slept again, so there was no chance of him crawling back into that bed any time soon.

"I'm not tired anymore," Aang lied in low, heavy voice as he let his gaze wonder off to the side.

"Do you really think I'll buy that?" Katara asked as she rolled her eyes, irked by his blatant attempt at deceit. "You're sick and you're hurt, Aang. You need to rest."

"I've had enough rest for a while..."

"You should listen to her, Aang," Sokka interjected softly as he stepped up to the pair. "You really took a beating."

"And what about you guys?" Aang countered, his countenance quickly growing downcast. "Are you all okay?"

"Don't try to change the subject, Aang," Katara snapped lightly. She tightened her embrace, pulling the monk closer to her body. "We're all _fine_. You're the one we're worried about."

Aang wasn't consoled. He was able to see their injuries and exhaustion with perfect clarity and it only made his heart ache more. Aang was the Avatar; it was his responsibility to keep people safe. The world depended on him to fulfill that duty and so did his friends. So why was it, that in the most dangerous situation they'd ever encountered, he hadn't been able to do that? Why did it demand that they almost die before his bending _even _responded to him?

Azula had almost taken their lives...and Aang had almost lost everything - again.

If Combustion Man returned, would he be able to protect them?

"I'm serious, Aang. Get back in bed,"

"I'll be okay, Katara," Aang re-asserted.

"Look at yourself! You're obviously _not _okay."

"I feel fine."

"I'm not taking no for an answer, Aang! Get back in-"

"I'm said I'm fine," Aang snapped before he could stop himself, succumbing to a sudden flare of cold anger that seized his heart. The sudden fury, however, immediately gave way to the emergence of regret and guilt as he saw the hurt flicker through Katara's eyes. He shamefully looked away, gritting his teeth as he whispered, "I'm so sorry, Katara." He shut his eyes. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I just...need to get some air."

"You want to go outside? Are you serious?" Katara responded in disbelief as she dismissed his outburst, clearly surprised by his request. "You can't actually think that you're in any condition to go anywhere."

"Please, Katara," Aang pleaded. "I just...want to get out of this room for a little while."

Katara started to protest, but bite back her comments at the last second. Though she was firmly set against the idea, she didn't want to agitate Aang any further. She just couldn't shake the memory of his episodes from her mind. There was no doubt that Aang was sick. The black substance that he'd vomited was proof enough of that. In addition to his injuries, there was still the emotional damage to deal with. That was what frightened Katara the most. She had no idea how he was coping with the deaths of Azula and the Dai Li. Aang had been forced to go through so much in such a short period of time. Her heart ached for him when she thought of how much he had to be hurting inside.

"Alright, Aang," Katara said with a sigh, going against her better judgment as she finally gave in to his request. Though her features mirrored her disapproval, she didn't argue with him any further. "I'll take you outside."

"Thank you, Katara," Aang returned gratefully. He looked away, running his eyes over Sokka and Suki. "By the way," Aang started, "where's Toph?"

"Katara and Toph...kind of had another argument," Sokka answered as he reclined against a nearby wall. He carefully slid to the cool, hard surface of the wooden floor, cradling his broken leg, before adding, "Only things got a little carried away this time. She stormed out of here a couple of hours ago."

Aang looked to Katara. "What happened?" he asked curiously.

Katara didn't know the best way to answer him. She didn't want to inform him about Toph's revelations just yet. She wanted to wait until they could converse privately before attempting to prod him with any questions and Katara definitely didn't want to give Aang time to come up with answers.

"Nothing," Katara said as she looked away. "We just...had a little disagreement, but it doesn't matter. I'll talk to you about it later."

Aang wasn't blind to her evasiveness, and though it struck him as odd, he didn't press the matter any further. He merely nodded his head, facing forwards as she began to help him towards the open doorway. Together, they shuffled awkwardly into the hall.

The moment Aang stepped into the narrow corridor and set his eyes on its dimly lit features, he was struck by a realization. Though he'd succeeded in putting the nightmare into the back of his mind, the familiar structure and decoration of the hallway made it rear its ugly head once more. The corridor was exactly the same as it had been in his dream and the similarities maintained the further down the passageway they went. Aang felt his chest beginning to tighten as doubt once again crept in around the edges of his heart.

How could he perfectly dream a part of the mansion he had never seen before?

_Zuko was never here,_ Aang repeated to himself in mantra-like fashion. _Katara said that he was never here._

But what if she was lying?

The paranoia was becoming increasingly arduous to suppress. Aang wanted nothing but to rid himself of the doubt and fear that festered within his heart, but the abominable sensations only grew stronger; it was as though the nightmare had offset something inside him, leaving him unable to get a firm handle on his own thoughts and emotions.

He felt like he was going insane.

As he and Katara made their way through the winding corridor, Aang continued to find no success at pulling himself from his stormy thoughts. It wasn't until the soothing warmth of sunlight struck his face that he finally managed to break away. His eyes, tired and still adapted to the dimly lit areas of the mansion, were initially unable to withstand the sun's luminosity. The radiance was overwhelming and Aang was forced to shy away from it. He stepped backwards, opposing Katara's advance as he threw a protective hand up in front of his face.

His eyes adjusted quickly, however, and following a few brief moments, he was able to lower his arm and perceive the features of the environment before him.

Destruction was everywhere. The ferocity of the tempest Aang had conjured in his rage left the open landscape polluted with shredded fragments of debris. Large limbs lay strewn across the dirt path that lead to the shore beyond the encompassing forrest. As Aang's eyes rolled across the terrain, he could see that the damage was widespread.

He took a tentative step through the open doorway...and then his roaming eyes caught sight of the bodies.

The slowly decaying corpses of the Dai Li lay scattered before him. Aang felt his chest tighten. Even from across the short distance that lay between them, he could plainly perceive the gruesome manner in which their limbs were twisted. They were a reminder of what was perhaps his greatest sin. Aang felt his heart grow heavy with despondency and regret. The familiar ache in chest returned with a vengeance and finally, he was forced to look away.

Feeling the sudden rigidity in his posture ripple through her arms, Katara quickly fixed her eyes on Aang.

"Aang?" she called out softly as she noted the distress that was mirrored through his visage. Katara followed the path of his gaze, letting her vision skim over the damaged enviornment. Her heart dropped as her eyes found the bodies of the Dai Li.

"How can you stand to be around me?"

Katara turned back to Aang as his soft, bitter voice reached her ears.

"What?" she returned, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

Aang shamefully closed his eyes, his expression darkening as he tucked his chin against his collarbone. "I killed them, Katara," he whispered. "I killed all of them. I'm no better than Ozai or Azula."

"You know that's not true, Aang," Katara snapped, appalled by the way he spoke of himself. "You're nothing like them."

"You're wrong," Aang returned in a low voice. "I'm a murderer - just like they were."

"No, you're not! You're the Avatar. You did it to protect us!"

"I couldn't control myself, Katara," Aang stated through gritted teeth. "I hated Azula so much. I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to make her suffer just like we did. What does that say about me?"

"It says that you care," Katara answered softly. "Listen, Aang. It's normal to get angry. I know you're hurting inside and I know you think what you did was wrong, but you saved our lives. You saved _my_ life. Without you, Azula and the Dai Li would have killed us all."

"You're not getting it," Aang suddenly bellowed. "Without me, none of you would have been targeted to begin with! Your lives would be perfectly normal."

"What are you saying, Aang?"

"I'm saying," Aang started with a pause, releasing a heavy breath as he looked off to the side, "that maybe all of you would have been better off never meeting me in the first place."

"You don't mean that," Katara exclaimed in disbelief.

"Maybe I do!" Aang's voice was growing increasingly agitated. "Think about it! Azula and Combustion Man only targeted you because your close to me. They knew that my friends were my weakness and they exploited that. What happens when Combustion Man comes back? What if I can't protect you next time? Or worse, what if _I'm _the one you all need protecting from?"

"You're being ridiculous. You'd never hurt any of us."

"How can you be so sure?" Aang countered. "I can't even control my bending, Katara. What if I really lose it next time? I couldn't bare it if I did something to hurt you and it terrifies me when I think about it." He clinched his fists, trying to fight off the sudden trembling off his body as he added in a whisper, "I don't want to lose you."

"Look at me, Aang." Katara abandoned her hold around his waist, moving her hands up his chest and cupping them against the sides of his face. She gently guided his head in her direction, forcing him to look her evenly in the eyes as she spoke, "You are _not _going to lose me, and I am _not _going to leave you. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me, so please don't wish that away. I've learned so much during the time we've spent together. I don't have any regrets, and you shouldn't either. No matter what the future holds for us, we'll face it together - just like we always have."

Feeling Katara's caress helped to quell the chaos inside of him, but it did nothing to take away from the fear that had set upon Aang's heart. Just as it had been prior to his showdown with Ozai, he was plagued by doubt and thoughts of failure. This time, however, Aang wasn't certain in regards to where the fear stemmed from. He didn't know who he was more afraid of - Combustion Man...or himself.

"I'm scared, Katara," Aang admitted, sinking to his knees in a defeated manner. "I don't know what to do. I'm not even sure I know what's real anymore."

Katara followed him to the ground, enveloping him in a warm embrace as she pressed an affectionate kiss to his temple. "It's okay," she whispered reassuringly. "Everything will be alright, Aang. We'll figure it out together." After a moment, Katara pulled away. She stayed silent for several seconds, bitting her lip in a contemplative manner, before speaking once more, "But I do want you to do something for me."

Aang regarded her with an exhausted look in his eye. "Like what?" he asked.

"I want you to tell me everything, Aang. No more lies."


End file.
